u 


y*—    * 


THE 

Albert  M. 
Library 


Presented  to 

TRINITY  COLLEGE  LIBRARY 

By  Miss  Susie  V.  Shipp 
November,  1921 


tHE 


TOUS  REMEDIES 


PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Duke   University 


Kare  books 


fllE 


TOUS  REMEDIES 


UNST 


THE 


PRECIOUS  REMEDIES 


AGAINST 


SATAN'S    DEVICES 


BY  THOMAS  BROOK. 

ABRIDGED  BY  W.  SMELLE,  LINCOLNSHIRE,  ENGLAND. 


Lest   Satan  should  get  an  advantage  of  us ;  for  we  are  not  ignorant 
of  his  devices.     2  Cor.  ii.  11. 


EDITED 

BY  STAUNTON  STEVENS  BURDOTT, 

MINISTER   OF   THE  GOSPEL  IN  SOUTH    CAROLINA. 


FIRST  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


NEW  HAVEN : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  EDITOR  BY  NATHAN  WHITING. 


1832. 


/ 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Introduction 13 

Satan's  Devices  to  draw  the  soul  to  sin  ...         .17 

To  keep  the  soul  from  holy  duties     .        .  -        .        103 

To  keep  the  soul  in  a  sad  and  doubting  state        .        .        .    143 
To  destroy  the  great  and  honorable  in  the  world  191 

To  destroy  the  sons  of  God  ......    208 

To  deoeive  by  false  teachers 232 

Helps  to  the  Christian 241 

Directions  to  the  man  that  gets  to  heaven  .        .       .        249 


237679 


PREFACE 
TO    THE  FIRST    AMERICAN  EDITION 


The  "  Precious  Remedies  against   Satan's  Dc\ 
by  Thomas  Brook,   is  a  work  of  great  import;' 
every  child   of    God:  and  if  attentively  read   by  them, 
it  cannot  fail  to  produce  on  their  minds  the  happiest  ef-. 
fects.     I  conceive  it  to  he  one  of  the  most  useful  books, 
aside  from  the  Holy  that  ;•    Christian   can 

possess-  ne   of  the  best  hooks  in  the  world.     It 

should  he  in  the  possession  of  every  family,  and  form 
an  important  part  of  their  library.  For  the  importance 
of  this  work  is  no  ^  confined  to  the  Christian  ;  bin 
tends  to  every  individual;  and  in  particular  to  the  youth 
of  our  country.  They  are  drawn  imperceptibly  by  Sa- 
tan's devices  into  sin.  Not  so  with  the  experienced 
Christian.  The  apostle  Paul,  in  his  letter  to  the  saints 
at  Corinth,  says,  "  we  are  not  ignorant  of  his  devices." 
But  the  young  are  ignorant  of  his  cunning  arts  to  draw 
them  unto  ruin. 

It  is  in   this  book  that  the  machinations  of  Satan  are 
happily  brought  to  view,   and  the  "  precious  remedies" 
1* 


237679 


VI.  PREFACE 

pointed  out.  Therefore  to  the  youth  as  well  as  to  the 
aged  this  work  must  be  valuable. 

And  in  presenting  the  present  edition  to  the  christian 
public,  it  is  with  the  earnest  desire,  that  it  may  prove  a 
great  blessing  to  the  youth  of  our  land,  and  to  the 
tempted  followers  of  the  b  essed  Jesus.  The  remedies 
are  indeed  precious.  And  they  should  be  so  regarded  by 
every  Christian. 

And  may  God  grant  that  this  effort  of  his  servant, 
(who  is  now,  I  trust,  in  heaven,)  to  advance  his  kingdom, 
prove  a  precious  remedy  to  those  who  are  exposed  to  the 
devices  of  him  who  "  goeth  about  as  a  roaring  lion, 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour."  That  God  may  be 
glorified  in  the  happy  life,  triumphant  death,  and  con- 
summate bliss   of  poor  sinners  saved  by  grace,   is  the 

prayer  of  the 

EDITOR. 

Long  Town,  S.  C,  June,  1832. 


PREFACE 
TO  THE  ENGLISH   EDITION. 


The  knowledge  of  men  and  things  may  be  of  some 
use  in  the  affairs  of  life ;  but  the  knowledge  of  the  hu- 
man heart,  and  the  Devices  of  Satan  exceedeth  all. 
Whosoever  is  possessed  of  so  valuable  a  branch  of 
knowledge,  is  thereby  enabled  to  judge  rightly  of  himself, 
and  to  hnd  out  the  various  wiles  of  the  devil  practised 
against  his  own  soul,  and  the  souls  of  others.  Lest 
Satan  should  get  an  advantage  of  us :  i.  e.  over- 
reach us. 

The  comparison  is  taken  from  a  greedy  merchant,  that 
seeketh  and  taketh  all  opportunities  to  beguile  and  de- 
ceive others.  Satan  is  this  greedy  merchant,  that  seek- 
eth to  devour  the  souls  of  men. 

We  are  not  ignorant  of  Satan's  devices,  plots,  ma- 
chinations, and  stratagems,  which  he  practices  to  way- 
lay the  souls  of  men.  Satan  hath  snares  for  the  wise 
and  snares  for  the  simple ;  snares  for  hypocrites  and 
snares  for  the  upright ;  snares  for  generous  souls  and 
snares  for  timorous  souls ;  snares  for  the  rich  and  snares 
for  the  poor;  and  snares  for  the  aged,  and  snares  for 
the  youth. 

Oh !  what  depths  of  Satan  and  the  human  heart  may 
yet  be  discovered  by  a  diligent  attendance  to  the  work- 


▼111..  PREFACE. 

iflgsof  the  mind  !  For,  while  I  speak  of  the  devices  of  Sa- 
tan, I  would  not  have  any  to  suppose  that  I  exempt  the 
human  heart  from  being  a  principal  agent  in  these  de- 
vices of  Satan.  Notwithstanding  the  grace  of  God  pro- 
duceth  in  the  heart  an  hatred  of  all  sin,  and  a  love  to 
truth,  so  that  the  soul  may  say,  though  there  be  no  one 
sin  in  me  absolutely  routed,  or  conquered  as  it  should, 
yet  truly  every  sin  is  hateful,  and  loathed  by  me  ;  and  though 
I  do  not  obey  any  one  commandment  of  God  as  I  ought, 
and  as  I  would  do,  yet  (the  pious  soul  can  say  that)  every 
word  of  God  is  good,  and  every  commandment  is  precious, 
and  what  I  daily  prize ;  therefore  though  I  cannot  strict- 
ly fulfil  all  the  righteous  will  and  commandments  of  my 
God,  there  are  none  but  what  I  would  most  gladly  keep, 
and  hate  in  me  that  which  wars  against  my  soul  for  delight- 
ing in  the  law  with  my  inward  man.  Satan  and  the  human 
heart  are  mighty  in  abilities  to  deceive.  Satan  has 
long  studied  the  heart  of  man,  and  is  master  of  even 
secret  avenue ;  and  he  well  knows  that  there  is  no  pow- 
er upon  earth  that  is  so  well  qualified,  and  that  would 
prove  so  faithful  to  his  devices,  as  the  human  heart; 
therefore  he  will  not  with  a  little  feeble  effort,  be  persuaded 
to  relinquish  his  possession  of  the  heart:  yea,  he  is  a 
strong  man,  armed,  &c,  and  it  requireth  the  strength  of 
the  strongest,  even  the  Almighty,  to  bind  Satan,  and  cast 
him  out  of  the  heart  of  man  ;  nevertheless,  any  thing 
that  tendeth  to  a  discovery  of  so  grand  and  so  secret  an 
enemy,  ought  to  be  esteemed  precious.  Though  the 
discovery  may  be  attended  with  some  difficulty,  yet  the 
end  and  conquest  will  repay  with  unspeakable  joy. 

I  am  free  to  confess,  that  I  never  read  or  saw  any 
work,  next  to  the  blessed  book,  the  bible,  that  appears 


PREFACE..  n„ 

(to  me,  at  least,)  so  complete  a  pursuit  and  detection  of 
Satan  and  the  human  heart,  as  the  Precious  Remedies 
against  Satan's  Devices.  The  title  is  truly  in  the  work, 
and  the  work  is  the  glory  of  the  title.  I  have  abridged 
some  parts,  where  I  judged  the  subject  had  been  stated 
with  advantage  in  some  other  part  of  the  work;  I 
have  also  introduced  this  work  with  a  few  introductory 
propositions  from  the  conclusion  of  the  author ;  and  I 
have  taken  the  liberty  to  reduce  it  from  the  form  of  a 
sermon,  which  it  originally  bore,  to  that  of  chapters,  and 
to  each  chapter  appointed  six  remedies ;  I  have  also 
applied  a  portion  of  scripture  to  each  chapter  and  reme- 
dy, that  the  several  devices  and  remedies  might  be  easily 
read  and  distinguished;  hoping  herein  to  assist  thread- 
er, to  take  the  devil  in  his  own  craftin^j  c0  saye  the 
souls  of  men,  and  to  cast  some  l^gta  on  more  than  two 
hundred  texts  of  scripture ;  all  which  is  possible  to  him 
under  whose  care  and  influence  this  humble  attempt  was 
bogun,  and  wtito  whoso  glory  may  it  tend  forever.  Amen, 
and  Amen.. 

W.  SMEI^LE, 


TO  THE  READER, 


Solomon  bids  us  buy  the  truth,  bt*  doth  not  tell  us 
what  it  must  cost ;  because  we  must  get jt  though  it  be 
never  so  dear ;  we  must  love  it,  shining  ^d  scorching  : 
every  part  of  truth  is  precious  as  the  faiths  of  gold ; 
we  must  live  and  die  with  it,   as  Ruth  said  to  Naomi, 
"  Whither  thou  goest  I  will  go,  and  where  thou  lodgest 
I  will  lodge,"  &c,  for  nothing  shall  part  the  soul  and 
truth.     A  man  may  sell  his  house   and  lands  lawfuty, 
but  truth  is  a  jewel  that  exceeds  all  price,  and  must  rot 
be  sold,  for  it  is  our  heritage.     Psal.  cxix.  111.     'Tis   a 
legacy  that  our  forefathers  have  bought  with  their  blood. 
If  thou,  Reader,  pleasest  to  read  this  work,  and  receive 
counsel  from  me,  thou  must  first  know,  that  every  man 
cannot  be  excellent  that  yet  may  be  useful.     An  iron  key 
may  unlock  the  door  of  a  golden  treasure ;  yea,  iron  can 
do  some  things  that  gold  cannot. 

Secondly,  remember  that  'tis  not  hasty  reading,  but 
serious  meditating  upon  holy  and  heavenly  truths,  that 
makes  them  prove  sweet  and  profitable  to  the  soul.  'Tis 
not  the  bee's  touching  the  flower  that  gathers  honey,  but 
her  abiding  for  a  time  upon  it  that  draws  out  the  sweet : 
therefore  it  is  not  he  that  reads  most,  nor  he  that  talks 
most,  but  he  that  meditates  most,  that  will  prove  the 
choicest  and  strongest  Christian.  If  thou  knowest  these 
things,  happy  and  blessed  art  thou  if  thou  doest  them. 


Xll.  frefaoe. 

"  Not  every  one  that  saith,  Lord.  Lord,  shall  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  that  doeth  the  will  of  my 
Father  that  is  in  heaven."     Matt,  vii.  21. 

Reader,  if  it  be  not  strongly  impressed  upon  thy  mind 
to  practice  what  thru  readest,  to  what  purpose  dost 
thou  read?  Thy  tnowledge  will  be  that  rod  that  will 
eternally  lash  tb^e.  that  scorpion  that  will  for  ever  bite 
thee,  and  tha'  worm  that  will  everlastingly  gnaw  thee. 
Seneca  saith  I  like  not  such  persons  who  are  always 
about  to  *Ve  0Llt  never  begin.  God  loves  the  runner, 
not  the  iuestioner,  saith  Luther.  When  Demosthenes 
was  a«ied  what  was  the  first  part  of  an  orator,  what  the 
second,  and  what  the  third  1  he  answered,  action.  If  any 
slould  inquire  what  is  the  first,  the  second,  and  the  third 
i>art  of  a  Christian "?     I  will  answer,  action. 

I  pray  and  desire  that  thou  mayest  find  as  much  sweet- 
ness, &c.  in  reading  this  Treatise,  as  I  have  found  in 
the  writing  of  it.  I  recommend  thee  to  God  and  to  the 
word  of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  thee  up,  and 
to  give  thee  an  inheritance  among  them  which  are  sanc- 
tified.    And  rest, 

Reader, 
Thy  soul's  servant  in  every  office  of  the  gospel, 

THOMAS  BROOK. 


INTRODUCTION. 


That  Satan  hath  a  great  hand  in  sin  cannot  be 
denied  ;  yet  ought  we  to  be  careful  that  we  do  not 
Jay  all  the  blame  of  our  sins,  and  compliance  with 
temptations,  upon  Satan,  and  so  father  that  upon  him 
which  should,  in  justice,  be  charged  upon  our  own 
evil  hearts.  Sin  and  evading  came  into  the  world  to- 
gether. The  whole  frame  of  man  is  out  of  order  : 
the  understanding  is  darkness  ;  the  will  is  cross  and 
rebellious ;  the  affections  are  crooked ;  the  conscience 
corrupted ;  the  tongue  poisoned ;  and  the  heart 
evil,  only  evil,  and  that  continually.  Satan  hath 
only  a  persuading,  not  an  enforcing  might ;  he  can 
tempt,  but  cannot  conquer  without  our  hearts  :  yet 
Satan  tempted  our  first  parents  to  rebellion,  moved 
David  to  number  Israel,  put  Peter  upon  rebuking 
Christ,  entered  into  the  heart  of  Judas  to  persuade 
him  to  betray  his  Lord  and  Master,  and  filled  the 
heart  of  Ananias,  and  Sapphira  his  wife,  to  lie  to  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Such,  therefore,  is  Satan's  malice 
against  God,  and  his  envy  against  men,  that  he  will 
resolutely  have  a  hand  in  all  Sin,  one  way  or  other. 

Satan  must  obtain  permission  of  God  before  he 
can  prevail  against  us.  Job.  ii.  6.  The  Lord  said 
unto  Satan,  behold,  he  is  in  thine  hand.     The  devil 


3 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

has  malice  sufficient  to  devour,  but  hath  not  power 
so  much  as  to  touch  the  least  and  the  weakest  of 
God's  children,  without  a  commission.  How  long 
did  he  try  to  des'troy  Job,  but  in  vain  ?  What  at- 
tempts did  he  make  to  ruin  Peter  and  his  compan- 
ions, and  desired  to  have  them,  that  he  might  sift 
them  as  wheat  ?  But  Jesus  prayed  for  them.  So 
Satan  seeks  to  overthrow  you,  as  he  did  Saul,  Ahab, 
and  others.  But  what  a  soul-supporting  consola- 
tion and  cordial  is  the  consideration,  that  the  great- 
est, subtlest,  and  the  most  daring  enemy  of  the  saints, 
cannot  hurt  or  harm  them  without  special  leave  from 
him  who  is  their  sweetest  Saviour,  their  dearest  hus- 
band, and  their  choicest  friend.  Ambrose  repre- 
sents the  devil  as  boasting  over  Jesus  Christ,  in  Ju- 
das :  he  is  not  thine,  Lord  Jesus,  he  is  mine  :  his 
heart  beats  for  me  ;  he  eats  with  thee,  but  is  fed  by 
me;  he  takes  bread  from  thee,  but  money  from  me; 
heTdrinks  wine  with  thee,  but  sells  thy  blood  to  me. 

As  Satan  must  obtain  permission  from  God,  so 
must  he  also  gain  the  consent  of  our  hearts  before  he 
can  prevail.  Acts.  v.  3.  Why  hath  Satan  filled  thine 
heart  to  lie  ?  Satan  can  never  undo  a  man  without 
himself;  but  a  man  may  easily  undo  himself  without 
Satan  :  he  can  only  present  the  glory  of  the  world, 
but  cannot  force  us  to  fall  down  and  worship  him. 
When  he  tempts,  we  must  assent;  when  he  makes 
offers,  we  must  accept ;  when  he  commands,  we 
must  obey  ;  and  when  he  threatens,  we  must  fear,  or 


INTRODUCTION.  1  6 

he  will  labor  in  vain.  Peter  expostulates  the  case 
with  Ananias,  Why  hast  thou  given  Satan  such  an 
advantage  over  thee,  to  fill  thy  heart  with  infidelity, 
hypocrisy,  and  obstinate  audacity,  to  lie  to  the  Holy 
Ghost  ?  As  if  he  had  said,  Ananias,  Satan  could 
never  have  done  this  in  thee,  (which  will  forever 
undo  thee,)  unless  thou  hadst  granted  him  access 
to  thine  heart.  If,  when  a  temptation  comes,  a  man 
cries  out,  and  saith,  Ah  !  Lord,  here  is  a  strong 
temptation  that  would  force  me,  and  that  would 
devour  my  soul.  I  have  of  myself  no  strength  to 
withstand.  Oh  !  help,  help  thou  me  ;  for  thy  Son's 
sake,  for  thy  promise  sake,  and  for  my  soul's  sake : 
then  it  is  not  the  soul  that  consents,  but  Satan  that 
has  forced. 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


SATAN'S    DEVICES 


CHAP.  I. 


SATAN'S  FIRST  DEVICE  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL   TO   SIN, 
IS  TO  REPRESENT  THE  BAIT  AND  HIDE  THE  HOOK. 

Genesis  iii.  5. 
Ye  shall  be  as  Gods,  fyc. 

Oh  !  saith  Satan,  fear  not.  Ye  shall  not  surely 
die  :  for  the  Lord  doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye 
eat  thereof  then  your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye 
shall  be  as  gods,  knowing  good  and  evil.  Here  is 
the  bait,  the  sweet,  the  pleasure,  and  the  profit. 
Oh  !  but  the  hook,  the  shame,  the  wrath,  and  the 
loss  that  would  inevitably  attend  the  compliance,  he 
carefully  hides.  There  is  an  opening  of  the  eyes 
of  the  mind  to  contemplation  and  joy,  and  there  is 
an  opening  of  the  eyes  of  the  body  to  shame  and 
confusion  :  Satan  promiseth  them  the  former,  and 
intendeth  the  last ;  and  so  deceives  them,  giving 
them  an  apple  in  exchange  for  Paradise. 
2* 


18  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

The  Precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  To  keep  at  the  greatest  distance  from  sin* 

1  Thessalonians  v.  22. 
Abstain  from  all  appearance  of  Evil. 

Anselm  used  to  say,  that  if  he  should  see  the 
shame  of  sin  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  pains  of  hell 
on  the  other,  and  must  of  necessity  choose  one,  he 
would  rather  be  thrust  into  hell  without  sin,  than  go 
into  heaven  with  sin.  'Tis  our  wisest  and  safest 
course  to  stand  at  the  furthest  distance  from  sin,  and 
to  fly  from  all  appearance  of  evil.  It  is  surely  the 
best  method  to  prevent  any  person  from  falling  in- 
to the  pit,  to  keep  at  the  greatest  distance  from  it. 
He  that  will  be  so  bold  as  to  play  upon  the  brink 
of  the  pit,  may  find,  by  woeful  experience,  that  it  is 
a  righteous  thing  with  God  that  he  should  fall  into 
the  snare.  Joseph  kept  himself  at  a  proper  dis- 
tance from  sin,  and  from  attempting  to  play  with  the 
golden  bait,  though  continually  urged  by  his  mis- 
tress ;  yet  he  retires,  and  abstains  from  all  appear- 
ance of  evil,  with  a  "  how  can  I  do  this  great  wick- 
edness, and  sin  against  God?"  David  boldly 
draws  nigh,  and  sports  with  the  bait ;  but,  at  last, 
he  is  snared  and  taken,  and  laments  the  folly  of  i( 
all  his  days. 


19 

The  second    Remedy  is,   humbly  to  consider  that 
sin  is  a  plague. 

1  Kings  viii.  38. 
The  plague  of  his  own  heart. 

Sin  is  a  plague,  yea,  the  greatest  and  most  infec- 
tious plague  in  all  the  world ;  yet,  alas !  how  few 
are  there  that  tremble  at  it  ?  As  soon  as  one  sin  had 
seized  upon  Adam's  heart,  all  sin  entered  into  his 
soul,  and  overspread  it.  And  how  hath  Adam's 
one  sin  spread  over  all  mankind  ?  Rom.  v.  12. 
Ah  !  how  doth  the  father's  sin  infect  the  child  : 
the  husband's  infect  the  wife;  the  master's,  the  ser- 
vant .?  Yes,  the  sin  that  is  in  one  man's  heart  is 
able  to  infect  a  whole  world.  The  Italian,  who  first 
made  his  enemy  deny  God,  to  save  his  life,  did  after- 
wards stab  him,  and  then  boasted,  that  he  had  at 
once  murdered  both  soul  and  body,  declares  the  per- 
fect malignity  of  sin.  'Twas  a  good  saying  of  a 
heathen,  that  if  there  were  no  God  to  punish  him, 
no  devil  to  torment  him,  no  hell  to  burn  him,  no  man 
to  see  him,  yet  would  he  not  sin,  for  the  ugliness 
and  filthiness  of  sin,  and  for  the  grief  of  his  own 
conscience — "  I  will  not  buy  repentance  so  dear  :  1 
am  not  so  ill  a  merchant  as  to  sell  eternals  for  tempo- 
rals."    Demosthenes. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider  that  sin 
is  but  a  bitter-sweet. 


20  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

Job  xx.  12,  13,  14. 

Though  wickedness  be   sweet  in  the   mouth,  it  is  the 
gall  of  asps  within. 

The  seeming  sweetness  that  is  in  sin  will  quickly 
vanish,  and  lasting  shame,  sorrow,  horror,  and  ter- 
ror will  come  in  the  room  thereof.  Adam's  apple 
was  a  bitter-sweet ;  Esau's  mess  was  a  bitter-sweet ; 
the  Israelites'  quails  were  a  bitter-sweet ;  and  Adoni- 
jah's  kingly  sweets  proved  a  bitter-sweet  unto  him : 
for  after  the  feast  comes  the  reckoning.  When  the  asp 
stiugs  a  man,  it  doth  at  first  tickle  him  so  as  to  make 
him  laugh,  till  the  poison,  by  little  and  little,  gets 
to  his  heart ;  then  it  pains  him  more  than  ever  it 
could  delight  him  before  :  so  doth  sin  — it  may  please 
a  little  at  first,  but  it  will  pain  the  soul  with  a  wit- 
ness at  last;  yea,  if  there  were  the  least  real  sweet 
or  delight  in  sin,  there  could  be  no  perfect  hell, 
where  men  must  be  eternally  tormented  with  their 
sins.  Forbidden  profits  and  pleasures  are  most 
pleasing  to  vain  men,  who  count  madness  mirth. 
Many  long  to  be  meddling  with  the  murdering  mor- 
sels of  sin,  which  nourish  not,  but  rent  and  consume 
the  belly  and  the  soul  that  receive  them.  Many  eat 
that  on  earth  which  they  are  forced  to  digest  in  hell. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  that 
sin  will  bring  upon  us  infinite  losses. 


21 


Mark  viii.  36,  37. 
Gain  the  world  and  lose  the  soul. 

Sin  will  usher  in  the  loss  of  the  Divine  favor  that 
is  better  than  life ;  the  loss  of  that  joy  which  is  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory  ;  the  loss  of  that  peace 
that  passeth  all  understanding ;  the  loss  of  those  di- 
vine influences  by  which  the  soul  hath  been  re- 
freshed, quickened,  raised,  strengthened,  and  glori- 
ously led  to  triumph  in  the  divine  light:  and  the  loss 
of  many  outward,  desirable  mercies,  which  otherwise 
the  soul   might   have  enjoyed. 

That  was  a  sound  and  savory  reply  of  an  Eng- 
lish captain,  at  the  loss  of  Calais,  who,  when  a 
proud  Frenchman  scornfully  demanded,  "  When  will 
you  fetch  Calais  again?'' replied,  "When  your  sins 
shall  weigh  down  ours." 

Ah  !  England,  England,  my  constant  prayer  for 
thee  is,  that  thou  mayest  not  sin  away  thy  mercies 
into  their  hands,  that  cannot  call  mercy,  mercy,  and 
that  would  joy  in  nothing  more  than  to  see  thy  sor- 
row-and  misery,  and  to  see  that  hand  to  make  thee 
naked  which  hath  long  clothed  thee  with  much  glory 
and  mercy. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider  that  sin 
is  very  deceitful  and  hardening. 


22 


FRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


Hebrews  iii.  13. 
Hardened  through  the  deceitfulness  of  sin. 

Sin  is  the  greatest  deceiver  in  the  world  ;  it  will 
kiss  the  soul,  and  pretend  fair  to  us  to  our  face,  but 
will  betray  the  soul  forever:  it  will,  with  Delilah, 
smile  upon  us,  that  it  may  betray  us  into  the  hands 
of  the  devil,  as  she  did  Sampson  into  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines.  Sin  gave  Satan  his  power  over  us; 
and  he  lays  claim  to  us  as  those  who  wear  his  badge 
and  mark.  Sin  is  a  very  bewitching  thing  upon  the 
human  heart,  that  the  soul  calls  good,  evil ;  and 
evil,  good  ;  bitter,  sweet ;  and  sweet,  bitter  ;  light, 
darkness;  and  darkness,  light;  and  the  soul  be- 
witched with  sin,  will  stand  out  against  God,  even 
unto  death.  Let  the  Almighty  strike  and  wound, 
even  unto  the  bone,  the  soul  cares  not,  nor  fears  not: 
see  Pharoah,  Balaam,  and  Judas.  There  is  an 
herb  in  Sardis,  that  would  make  a  man  lye  laughing 
on  his  bed  when  he  was  deadly  sick;  such  is  the 
operation  of  sin.  Prov.  v.  22,  23. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider  that 
there  is  neither  rest  nor  peace  in  sin. 

Isaiah  lvii.  20,  21. 
Like  the  troubled  sea. 

For  the  curse,  the  wrath,  the  hatred,  and  indigna- 
tion of  God  doth   always    attend   sin    and   sinners. 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES.  5&S 

The  curse  of  God  haunts  the  sinner  (as  it  were  a 
fury)  in  all  his  ways :  in  the  city  it  attends  him,  in 
the  country  it  hovers  over  him  ;  coming  in  it  ac- 
companies him,  going  forth  it  follows  him  ;  in  travel 
it  is  his  comrade ;  it  fills  his  store  with  strife,  and 
mingles  the  wrath  of  God  with  his  sweetest  morsels  ; 
it  is  a  moth  in  his  wardrobe,  murrain  among  his  cat- 
tle, mildew  in  his  field,  rot  among  his  sheep,  and  of- 
tentimes makes  the  fruit  of  his  loins  the  greatest 
vexation  and  confusion  of  his  life.  There  is  no  solid 
joy  nor  lasting  peace  to  a  sinner  in  his  sins,  for  the 
sword  of  divine  vengeance  doth  every  moment  hang 
over  his  head.  Syrens  sing  wonderfully  curious 
while  they  live,  but  roar  most  dreadfully  horrible 
when  they  die ;  so  must  the  ungodly  sinner.  Deut. 
xxviii.  15.  to  the  end.     Levit.  xxvi.  14.  to  the  end, 


24  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  II. 


THE  SECOND  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  IS  TO  PAINT  SIN  WITH 
VIRTUE'S  COLORS. 

1  Kings  xxii.  22. 
A  lying  spirit. 

Satan  knows,  that  if  he  should  present  sin  in  its 
own  nature  and  dress,  the  soul  would  rather  fly  from 
it  than  yield  to  it ;  therefore  he  presents  sin  unto  us, 
not  in  its  own  proper  colors,  but  painted  and  dis- 
guised ;  gilded  over  witli  names  and  shew  of  virtue, 
that  we  may  be  more  easily  overcome  by  it,  and  so 
take  the  greater  pleasure  in  committing  of  it.  Pride 
he  presents  to  the  soul  under  the  name  and  notion  of 
neatness  and  cleanliness  in  life.  Covetousness, 
(which  the  apostle  condemns  for  idolatry,)  Satan 
points  out  to  be  good  husbandry  in  a  family.  Drunk- 
enness which  is  an  open  sin,  Satan  pleads  for,  and 
persuades  the  soul  that  it  is  but  cheerfulness  and 
good  fellowship.  Riotousness,  Satan  presents  under 
the  fair  name  and  notion  of  liberty  and  liberality  to 
mankind  :  and  wantonness  he  represents  only  as  a 
trick  of  youth. 

The  precious  Remedies   against  this   device  are 
these: 


against  satan's  devices.  25 

First.  To  consider  that  sin  is  nevertheless  sin, 
and  vile,  though  painted. 

Jeremiah  iv.  30. 

Though  thou  rentest  thy  face  with  painting,  in  vain 

shaltthou  make  thyself  fair. 

Surely  sin  cannot  be  one  degree  the  less  filthy, 
vile,  and  abominable,  by  its  being  colored  and  var- 
nished with  virtue's  colors.  A  poisonous  pill  is  no 
less  poisonous  though  it  is  gilded  over  with  gold  ;  a 
wolf  is  no  less  a  wolf,  although  he  hath  put  on  a 
sheep's  skin  ;  and  the  devil  is  nevertheless  a  devil, 
and  an  adversary  to  souls,  though  he  may  sometimes 
appear  like  an  angel  of  light :  so  sin  is  no  less  sin, 
and  abominable  unto  the  pious  soul,  in  crimson,  and 
decked  with  ornaments  of  gold,  than  when  it  is  in 
rags  :  and  thus  the  evils  of  the  heart  are  to  be  loath- 
ed and  watched,  though  they  may  appear  to  be  at 
peace- with  us. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider, 
that  the  more  sin  is  painted  and  colored  with  virtue, 
it  is  the  more  dangerous  to  souls. 

2  Samuel  xx.  9.  10. 
Art  thou  in  health  my  brother  ?     So  he  smote  him. 

That  the  more  sin  is  varnished,  and  appears  as  a 
friend  to  virtu< ,  the  more  ruinous  it  is  to  the  souls  of 
men  ;  that  while  it  asketh  after  our  health  and  peace 


26 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


as  a  brother,  and  takes  us  by  the  beard  with  the  right 
hand,  to  kiss,  it  stabs  us  with  the  sword  in  the  left, 
as  Joab  did  Amasa.  This  is  so  notoriously  known, 
that  I  need  but  name  it.  The  most  dangerous  ver- 
min are  too  often  to  be  found  under  the  fairest  and 
sweetest  flower ;  the  neatest  glove  is  often  drawn 
upon  the  foulest  hand  ;  and  the  richest  robes  are  of- 
ten put  upon  the  filthiest  bodies :  so  are  the  fairest 
and  sweetest  names  put  upon  the  greatest  and  the 
most  horrible  vices  and  errors  that  are  in  the  world. 
Ah  !  that  we  had  not  too  many  sad  proofs  of  this 
among  us  at  this  day. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  to  look  on  sin  with  proper 
eyes. 

Genesis  Hi.  7. 

Their  eyes  ivere  open  and  they  knew  that  they  were 

naked. 

To  view  sin  with  open  eyes,  or  with  such  eyes  as 
within  very  little  time  we  shall  see  it  before  the  throne 
of  God.  Ah  !  souls,  when  you  shall  lie  upon  a  dy- 
ing bed,  and  stand  before  a  judgment  seat,  sin  will 
be  unmasked,  and  its  dress  and  robes  shall  then  be 
all  taken  off,  and  then  it  will  appear  more  vile,  filthy, 
and  terrible  than  hell  itself.  Oh!  my  soul,  the 
shame,  the  pain,  the  gall,  and  alarming  consternation 
to  our  first  parents,  when  they  saw  sin  undressed 
and  naked  !     So  the  sinner  at  death  or  at  the  bar  of 


27 


God,  will  find,  to  his  eternal  astonishment,  sin  is  a 
monster,  in  whatsoever  dress  it  hath  appeared  to 
men.  Conscience  will  work  at  last  :  though  for  the 
present  you  may  feel  no  fit  of  pain  or  accusation, 
sin  will  be  bitterness  in  the  end.  Satan  deals  with 
men  now  as  the  panther  doth  with  the  beasts ;  he 
hides  his  deformed  head  until  the  sweet  scent  hath 
drawn  then;  into  danger:  so  Satan  is  a  parasite  un- 
til we  sin,  then  he  turns  a  tyrant. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
even  those  very  sins  that  Satan  painteth  as  virtues, 
require  infinite  love  and  power  to  redeem  us  from 
them. 

1  Timothy  iii.  16. 

Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness. 

Yes,  those  very  sins  that  Satan  paints  and  puts 
new  names  and  colors  upon,  cost  the  best  love,  the 
noblest  love,  the  heart-love  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  That 
Christ  should  come  from  the  eternal  bosom  of  his  fa- 
ther to  a  region  of  sorrow  and  death  ;  that  God 
should  be  manifest  in  the  flesh  ;  the  Creator  made  a 
creature  ;  that  the  Eternal,  who  was  clothed  with  in- 
finite glory,  should  be  wrapped  with  rags  of  flesh  ; 
that  he  who  filled  heaven  and  earth  with  his  bright- 
ness should  be  laid  in  a  manger  ;  that  the  power  of 
God  should  fly  from  weak  man ;  [the  God  of  Israel 
went  into  Egypt  ;]  that  the  God  of  the  law   should 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


be  subject  lo  the  law ;  that  he  who  binds  Satan  in 
chains  should  be  tempted  by  the  devil ;  that  he  who 
is  the  judge  of  all  flesh  should  be  judged  and  con- 
demned; that  the  God  of  life  should  be  put  to  death: 
that  he  who  hath  the  keys  of  hell  and  death  should 
lie  imprisoned  in  the  grave,  to  save  guilty  men  from 
sin  and  death  eternal,  was  infinite  love  indeed  ! 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
freedom  from  sin  cost  an  infinite  price. 

1  Peter  i.  19. 
Precious  blood  of  Christ. 

Every  sin  is  costly  to  the  Redeemer.  Yea,  sins 
colored  with  virtue  cost  the  best  blood,  the  noblest 
blood,  the  heart's-blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  Ah  !  my 
soul,  to  see  that  face  which  was  fairer  than  the  sons 
of  men,  spit  on  ;  that  mouth  and  tongue,  which 
spake  as  never  man  spake,  accused  of  blasphemy ; 
those  hands  and  feet,  that  swayed  the  sceptre  of 
heaven,  and  shined  as  fine  brass,  nailed  to  the  cross 
for  my  sins ! 

After  Julius  Caesar  was  murdered,  Antonius 
brought  forth  his  coat,  all  bloody  and  cut,  and  laid 
it  before  the  people,  saying,  "  Look,  here  you  have 
your  Emperor's  coat,  thus  bloody  and  torn  ;"  where- 
upon all  the  people  were  presently  in  an  uproar,  and 


AGAINST  SATAN  S  DEVICES.  29 

run  and  slew  and  burnt  the  murderers.  So  let  my 
soul  arise  and  slay  those  sins,  the  monstrous  mur- 
derers of  my  Lord. 

When  Dionysius,  in  Egypt,  heard  the  noise,  and 
saw  the  eclipse  of  the  sun  at  the  time  of  Christ's  suf- 
ferings he  cried  out,  "  Either  the  God  of  nature  suf- 
fers, or  the  world  will  be  dissolved. " 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  soul  will  never  be  able  to  endure  the  weight  of 
the  least  sin. 

Numbers  xxxii.  23. 
Be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out. 

The  soul  is  never  able  to  abide  the  guilt  and 
weight  of  the  least  sin,  when  God  shall  set  it  home 
upon  the  mind  :  the  least  sin  will  press  and  sink  the 
stoutest  sinner  as  low  as  hell.  What  so  little,  base, 
and  vile  among  creatures  as  lice  ?  Yet  God  so  pla- 
gued the  stout-hearted  Pharoah;  yea,  and  all  Egypt 
fainted  under  them,  and  the  greatest  men  were  for- 
ced to  cry  out,  "  this  is  the  finger  of  God."  Just  so, 
when  God  shall  cast  the  sword  into  the  hand  of  a 
little  sin,  and  arm  it  against  the  soul  of  man,  the 
stoutest  shiner  shall  faint  and  fall  before  it.  One 
drop  of  an  evil  conscience  will  swallow  up  the 
whole  sea  of  worldly  joy. — Mr.  Perkins  makes 
3* 


W  PRECIOUS   REMEDIES 

mention  of  a  good,  but  very  poor  man,  who>  being 
ready  to  starve,  stole  a  lamb,  and  being  about  to 
eat  it  with  his  family,  and  (as  his  manner  was  be- 
fore meat)  to  crave  a  blessing  upon  it,  he  durst 
not  do  it,  but  fell  into  a  great  perplexity  of  soul,  and 
went  and  acknowledged  his  fault  to  the  owner,  and 
promised  payment. 


against  satan's  devices.  31 


CHAP.  III. 

THE  THIRD  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  TO  REPRESENT  GOD  AS  ONE  MADE  UP 
ALL  OF  MERCY. 

Genesis  iii.  4. 
Ye  shall  not  surely  die. 

Oh  !  saith  Satan,  though  God  hath  said  that  ye 
shall  die,  he  doth  not  so  intend  ;  he  is  too  great  and 
merciful  to  punish  you  for  so  small  a  fault  as  this. 
You  need  not  make  so  great  a  matter  of  sin.  Do 
not  be  so  fearful  of  sinning,  nor  so  unwilling  to  this  : 
is  it  not  a  little  one  r  And  God  is  a  God  of  mercy, 
a  God  full  of  mercy,  a  God  that  delights  in  mercy,  a 
God  that  is  ready  to  shew  mercy,  a  God  never  wea- 
ry of  exercising  mercy,  and  a  God  that  is  more  prone 
to  pardon  sin  in  his  people,  than  to  punish  them  for 
it ;  therefore  he  will  not  take  any  advantage  of  you  : 
why  then  should  you  be  so  thoughtful  about  sin? 
And,  besides  all  this,  God  is  become  more  merciful 
and  kind  through  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ;  there  is 
nothing  now  for  you  to  fear;  Christ  died  for  all  sin- 
ners, and  you  are  but  a  sinner. 

The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 


32 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


First.  To  consider,  that  to  be  given  up  of  God 
to  our  own  wills  is  the  greatest  hell  upon  earth. 

Romans  i.  28. 
God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind. 

That  is  the  sorest  judgment  in  the  world  to  be 
left  to  sin,  upon  any  pretence  whatever.  Oh  !  un- 
happy man,  when  God  leaveth  thee  to  thyself,  to  thy 
free  will,  and  doth  not  resist  thee  in  thy  choice,  and 
in  thy  sins.  Wo,  wo  to  him  at  whose  sins  God  doth 
wink.  When  the  Lord  suffers  the  way  to  sin  and 
hell  to  be  smooth  and  pleasant  unto  the  heart,  it  is  an 
awful  token  that  he  doth  not  intend  good  unto  that 
man :  for  my  own  part,  I  pray  as  much  to  be  kept 
from  my  sinful  self,  and  my  free  will,  as  I  do  from 
Satan  and  hell ;  for  a  soul  given  up  to  its  own  inven- 
tion and  sin,  is  a  soul  ripe  for  hell.  "  Ephraim  is 
joined  to  idols ;  let  him  alone."  Hosea  iv.  17. 
Psal.  lxxxi.  12. — Ah!  Lord!  this  mercy  I  humbly 
beg,  that  whatever  thou  shalt  see  good  to  deliver 
me  up  to,  thou  wilt  not  give  me  up  to  the  ways  of  my 
own  heart :  shouldest  thou  give  me  up  to  be  afflicted, 
or  tempted,  or  reproached,  he.  I  will  say,  it  is  the 
Lord.  2  Sam.  xv.  26.  Only  deliver  me  from  that 
evil  man,  myself. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
God  is  as  just  as  he  is  merciful. 


against  satan's  devices.  33 

2  Peter  ii.  4. 
For  if  God  spared  not  the  angels. 

Against  this  artful  device  of  Satan  let  us  consider, 
that  though  the  scriptures  represent  the  mercy  of 
God  in  beautiful  and  striking  colors,  yet  they  also 
speak  him  to  be  a  just  and  holy  God,  and  will  by 
no  means  clear  the  guilty.  The  casting  of  the  an- 
gels out  of  heaven,  and  binding  them  in  chains  of 
darkness  till  the  judgment  of  the  great  day ;  the 
turning  of  Adam  out  nf  Paradise  :  the  drowning  of 
the  old  world  ;  the  raining  down  from  heaven  of  fire 
and  brimstone  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah;  but 
above  all,  witness  the  pouring  forth  of  his  wrath  up- 
on his  own  only  beloved  Son,  when  he  bare  our  sins, 
and  cried,  "  My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me  ?"  Oh  !  Christian,  it  was  all  for  thee  and 
for  me  that  Jesus  was  forsaken  of  his  Father,  that 
he  might  know  how  to  comfort  thee  under  the  hidings 
of  thy  Father's  countenance. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  Humbly  to  consider  that 
sins  against  mercy  are  attended  with  the  heaviest 
judgments;  from  God. 

Hebrews  ii.  3. 
How  shall  we  escape  ? 

Mercy  is  Alpha,  Justice  is  Omega.  David,  speak- 
ing of  these  attributes,   placed   IVJercy  in  the  front, 


34  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

and  Justice  in  the  rearward,  saying,  "My  song  shall 
be  of  mercy  and  judgment."  But  sins  against  mer- 
cy will  bring  down  the  greatest  and  sorest  judgments 
upon  the  heads  and  hearts  of  men  that  can  be  inflic- 
ted by  the  Lord  upon  the  rebel.  Let  us  consider 
this  in  the  Israelites ;  the  Lord  loved  them,  and 
chose  them  to  be  his  people  before  all  people,  and 
that  when  they  were  in  their  blood  :  he  multiplied 
them,  not  by  means,  but  by  miracles  ;  and  from  sev- 
enty souls  they  grew,  in  a  few  years,  to  six  hundred 
thousand  ;  the  more  they  were  oppressed,  the  more 
they  prospered.  But  they  abused  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord,  and  soon  became  the  objects  of  his  severest 
wrath.  As  I  know  not  the  man  that  can  reckon  up 
their  mercies,  so  I  know  not  the  man  that  can  sum 
up  their  miseries ;  for  God  was  turned  against 
them. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider,  that 
God's  special  mercy  is  over  the  righteous. 

Isaiah  liv.  8. 

With  everlasting  kindness  will  1  have  mercy  on 

thee. 

Let  us  remember,  that  though  God's  general  mer- 
cy be  over  all  his  works,  yet  his  special  mercy  is  on- 
ly to  those  that  love  him,  and  are  the  called  accord- 
ing to  his  purpose.  Exod.  xxxiv.  67.  Psal.  xxv.  10; 
xxxiii,   18;  and  ciii.   11,   17.     When  Satan,   there- 


against  satan's  devices.  35 

fore,  tempts  to  draw  thee  to  sin,  by  presenting  God 
as  a  God  made  up  all  of  mercy,  oh  !  then  reply, 
that  though  it  be  true  that  God's  general  mercy  ex- 
tendeth  to  all  his  works,  yet  his  loving  kindness  is 
confined  to  them  that  fear  him,  to  them  that  love  him 
and  keep  his  commandments  ;  therefore,  if  ever  I 
taste  his  mercy  in  a  saving  -sense  to  my  soul,  it  must 
be  through  his  infinite  goodness  and  grace  in  Jesus 
Christ,  or  else  I  must  eternally  perish  in  everlasting 
misery,  notwithstanding  all  the  mercy  of  God  in  nat- 
ural life. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  (o  consider,  that  all 
those  that  do  taste  and  see  that  God  is  gracious  un- 
to them,  find  that  the  greatest  victory  over  sin  is 
drawn  from  the  mercies  of  God. 

2  Corinthians  xiii.  8. 
We  can  do  nothing  against  the  truth. 

Yea,  the  souls  that  were  once  glorious  on  earth, 
and  are  now  triumphing  in  heaven,  did  all  look  up- 
on the  mercy  of  God  as  the  most  powerful  argument 
to  preserve  them  from  sin.  Psal.  xxvi.  3,  4,  5.  So 
Joseph  strengthens  himself  against  sin:  he  kept  his 
eyes  fixed  upon  mercy,  and  therefore  sin  could  not 
enter.  There  can  be  nothing  in  the  world  that  ren- 
ders a  man  more  unlike  a  child  of  God,  and  more 
like  to  the  devil,  than  to  argue  from  mercy  to  sinful 
liberty;  from  divine  goodness  to  licentiousness:  this 


36  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

is  Satan's  logic,  and  wheresoever  you  find  this  you 
may  write,  this  man's  soul  is  lost.  A  man  may  as 
well  say  that  the  sea  burns  him,  and  the  fire  makes 
him  cool,  as  to  say  that  the  grace  and  mercy  of  God 
encourages  him  to  sin.  Rom.  vi.  1,  2.  And  if  these 
mercies  will  not  do  these  glorious  things  for  us,  you 
may  write  us  void  of  all  good,  Christless  and  hope- 
less forever. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  reflect  upon 
that  strict  account  sinners  must  give  of  all  the  mer- 
cies they  have  enjoyed. 

Luke  xvi.  25. 
Son,  remember  in  thy  lifer-time,  fyc. 

Ah !  did  men  but  dwell  more  upon  the  mercies 
they  have  received,  and  the  account  that  they  must 
ere  long  give  of  them,  they  would  cry  out,  in  an- 
guish of  soul,  "  Oh  !  that  our  mercies  had  been 
fewer,  that  our  account  might  have  been  easier, 
and  our  torment  and  misery,  for  our  abuse  of  those 
infinite  mercies,  not  greater  than  we  are  able  to 
bear." 

Philip  the  third  of  Spain,  whose  life  was  free  from 
gross  evils,  professed,  that  he  would  rather  lose  all 
his  kingdom  than  offend  God  willingly  ;  yet  at  his 
death  cried  out  "  Oh  !  would  to  God  I  had  never 
reigned  !     Oh  !  that  those  years  I  have  spent  in  my 


against  satan's  devices.  37 

kingdom  I  had  lived  a  solitary  life  in  the  wilderness! 
Oh,  that  I  had  lived  a  solitary  life  with  God ;  how 
much  more  securely  should  I  now  die !  What  doth 
all  my  glory  profit  me?  but  only  causeth  me  so 
much  the  more  torment  of  soul  in  my  death." 

The  sleeping  of  vengeance  causeth  the  overflow- 
ing of  sin,  and  the  overflowings  of  sin  cause  the 
awakening  of  vengeance :  abused  mercy  will  certain- 
ly turn  into  fury. 


38  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  IV. 

THE  FOURTH  DEVICE  OF    SATAN   13,   TO   REPRESENT 
SIN  AS  A  LITTLE  THIiNG. 

Genesis  xix.  20. 

It  is  but  a  little  one  ;  and  my  soul  shall  live. 

By  extenuating  and  lessening  sin,  Satan  gets  an 
advantage  over  us  ;  and  when  we  are  ignorant  of 
his  devices,  we  pass  on  until  we  are  snared  and 
taken.  Ah  !  saith  Satan,  'tis  but  a  little  pride,  a 
little  worldliness,  a  little  cheerful  company ;  it  is  a 
poor  heart  that  never  rejoices ;  and  at  most  it  can 
be  but  a  very  little  sin,  and  what  may  be  committed 
without  danger,  when  compared  with  others  who  de- 
file themselves  with  all  manner  of  sin  and  unclean- 
ness  daily,  wherein  I  can  mean  no  harm  ;  and  when 
I  do  sit  and  chat,  and  even  sip  with  the  drunkard,  I 
am  not  like  him  that  sits  drinking  himself  drunk, 
swearing,  and  uttering  all  manner  of  lewdness. 
Thus  we  not  only  stand  upon  comparison,  but  upon 
disparison  :  I  am  not  as  this  publican. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 


against  satan's  devices.  >() 

First.  To  consider,  that  although  sins  be  not  all 
equally  heinous,  yet  the  least  deserves  eternal  death. 

James  i.  10. 

Lust  conceived,  bringeth  forth    sin  :    sin  finished, 

bringeth  forth  death. 

Let  us  reflect,  that  those  sins  which  we  are  apt  to 
account  small,  have  brought  upon  men  the  greatest 
wrath  of  God  :  as  tiie  eating  of  the  forbidden  fruit  ; 
the  gathering  of  sticks  on  the  Sabbath  ;  and  the 
touching  of  the  ark.  Oh  !  the  dreadful  wrath  that 
little  sins  have  brought  down  from  heaven  upon 
men  ?  The  least  is  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  the 
nature  of  God,  the  being,  and  the  glory  of  God,  and 
therefore  it  is  often  punished  severely   by   the  Lord, 

And  do  we  not  see  and  hear,  almost  daily,  the  ven- 
geance of  the  Almighty  falling  on  the  heads  of  some 
one  sinner  or  other  f  Surely,  if  we  are  not  utterly 
left  of  God,  and  blinded  by  Satan,  we  cannot  but 
know  these  things.  Oh  !  therefore,  when  Satan  saith 
'tis  but  a  little  one,  do  you  say,  "  Oh  !  but  those 
sins  that  thou  callest  little  are  such  that  will  cause 
the  anger  of  God  forever."  Csesar  was  stabbed 
with  a  bodkin  ;  Pope  Adrian  was  choaked  with  a 
gnat ;  King  Lysimachus  stopped  to  drink  a  draught 
of  water,  and  lost  his  kingdom  for  it  :  so  the  least 
i'm  unpardoned  will  ruin  the  soul  forever. 


40  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  giving  way  to  less  sins  generally  makes  a  way 
for  greater. 

2  Samuel  xii.  9. 

Wherefore  hast  thou  despised  the  commandment  of 

the  Lord? 

If  we  commit  one  sin  to  avoid  another,  it  is  just 
that  we  should  avoid  neither  ;  for  he  that  to  avoid  a 
greater  sin  will  yield  to  a  lesser,  ten  thousand  to  one 
but  God,  injustice,  will  leave  his  soul  to  fall  into  the 
greater.  David  first  gave  way  to  the  wandering  of 
his  eyes,  and  this  led  him  to  a  train  of  foul  sins  that 
caused  God  to  break  his  bones,  and  to  leave  his  soul 
in  darkness.  Jacob,  Peter,  and  other  saints,  have 
found  this  true  by  woful  experience,  that  the  yield- 
ing to  a  little  sin  hath  been  the  ushering  in  of  a 
greater.  Ah  !  how  many  have  in  our  days  fallen, 
first  to  have  low  thoughts  of  the  scriptures  and  ordi- 
nances, and  then  to  slight  the  scriptures  and  ordi- 
nances, counting  them  a  nose  of  wax,  and  so  at  last 
to  advance  and  lift  up  themselves  and  their  Christ-dis- 
honoring arid  soul-damning  opinions  above  the  scrip- 
tures and  ordinances !  When  a  man  begins  to  sin 
he  knows  not  where  or  when  he  must  stop. 

The  third  Remedy   is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  children  of  God  have  chose    to    suffer  the  worst 


AGAINST  BATAN'B    DEVICE*.  41 

of  torments  here,  rather  than   give  way  to  the  least 

sin. 

Daniel  iii.  39. 

If  it  be  so,  our  God  is  able  to  deliver  ;  but  if  not, 

we  will  not  serve  thy  gods. 

Some  saints  have  chosen  to  suffer  the  worst  of  tor- 
ments rather  than  they  would  commit  the  least  sin. 
(i.  e.  such  as  the  world  accounts  least.)  Behold 
Daniel  and  his  companions,  that  would  rather  choose 
to  burn,  and  be  cast  to  lions,  than  they  would  bow 
to  the  image  that  Nebuchadnezzar  had  set  up. 
When  this  is  the  case  with  a  man,  that  he  must  either 
fall  into  sin  or  be  cast  into  the  fiery  furnace,  Satan 
bids  him  sin  to  save  himself:  it  is  but  a  little  thing 
to  bow  the  knee  to  an  image;  but  true  grace  saith, 
try  the  furnace,  thy  God  is  able  to  deliver:  but  if  not, 
it  is  far  better  to  burn  for  not  sinning,  than  that  God 
and  conscience  should  raise  a  hell  in  thy  bosom  for 
gin.  Thus  we  must  choose  rather  to  suffer  the  worst 
of  punishments  that  men  and  devils  can  invent  and 
iuflict,  than  commit  the  least  sin  whereby  God  should 
be  dishonored,  conscience  and  religion  wounded,  and 
our  souls  endangered. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
there  is  more  evil  in  the  least  sin  than  in  the  greatest 
affliction. 

4* 


42  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

Lamentations  iii.  39. 
Wherefore  doth  a  living  man  complain*? 

That  there  is  a  greater  evil  in  the  least  sin  than 
in  the  greatest  affliction,  appears  as  clear  as  the  sun 
at  noon-day,  if  we  do  but  reflect  upon  the  severe 
dealing  of  God  the  Father  with  the  infinite  person 
of  his  beloved  Son,  (and  that  in  the  room  and  place 
of  sinners,)  who  poured  out  the  vials  of  his  fiercest 
wrath  upon  him,  yea,  and  that  for  the  least  sin  as 
well  as  the  greatest.  The  wages  of  sin  is  death  ; 
of  sin  indefinitely,  whether  great  or  small.  Oh  ! 
brethren,  how  should  this  make  us  tremble,  as  much 
at  the  least  spark  of  lust  as  at  hell  itself!  consider- 
ing, that  God  the  Father  would  not  spare  his  own 
Son,  his  bosom  Son,  yea,  his  eternal  Son,  no,  not 
for  the  least  sin,  but  would  have  him  drink  the  dregs 
of  his  wrath  4o  make  satisfaction  for  sin  through  his 
blood.  Oh  !  my  soul,  there  is  therefore  no  little  sin, 
because  there  is  no  little  God  to  sin  against. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
God  will  proportion  his  judgments  to  the  nature  of 
the  offence. 

Matthew  xxv.  26. 

Thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant. 

This  man's  sins  lay  in  his  slothfulness,  in  not  do- 
ing  the  good  he  might,  and  in  entertaining  wrong 


thoughts  of  God,  and  bringing  false  charges  against 
his  providence  and  grace,  supposing  and  complain- 
ing of  them  as  unequally  distributed  amon  g  men. 
How  many  of  this  cast  are  there  in  the  world  at  this 
day  ?  God  will  suit  men's  punishments  to  their  sins; 
the  greatest  sins  shall  be  attended  with  the  greatest 
punishments,  and  the  lesser,  (so  called  by  men,)  with 
lesser  judgments.  Alas  !  what  a  poor  comfort  will 
this  be  to  thee  when  thou  comest  to  die,  to  consider, 
in  thy  departing  moments,  that  thou  shalt  not  be 
equally  tormented  with  other  sinners,  and  yet  know- 
est  that  thou  must  be  shut  out  forever  from  the  glo- 
rious presence  of  God,  of  Christ,  of  angels,  and  of 
saints,  and  from  those  great  and  good  things  of  eter- 
nal life,  that  are  so  many  that  they  exceed  all  number, 
so  great  that  they  exceed  all  measure,  and  so  pre- 
cious that  they  exceed  every  estimation '? 

The  sixth  Remedy  is  carefully  to  consider,  that 
nothing  but  the  truth  can  keep  us  from  sin. 

2  Timothy  i.   13. 
Holdfast  sound  words. 

Truth  is  more  precious  than  gold  or  rubies ;  and 
all  things  that  thou  canst  desire  are  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  her.  Truth  is  that  heavenly  glass  wherein 
we  may  see  the  lustre  and  glory  of  divine  wisdom, 
power,  greatness,  love,  and  mercy  :  in  this  glass  you 
may  behold  the  face  of  Christ,  the  riches  of  Christ, 


44  PRBGIOUS    REMEDIES 

t4ie  heart  of  Christ,  beating  sweetly  towards  your 
souls.  Oh  !  let  our  souls  cleave  to  the  truth  as  a 
guide  to  lead  us,  a  staff  to  uphold  us,  a  cordial  to 
strengthen,  and  a  balm  to  heal  all  our  wounds.  Ts 
not  truth  our  right  eye,  without  which  we  cannot 
behold  Jesus  ;  our  right  hand,  without  which  we  can 
do  nothing  for  Christ;  and  our  right  foot,  without 
which  we  cannot  walk  with  God  ?  The  crown  is 
the  top  of  royalties  ;  so  is  truth  ;  let  no  man  take 
thy  crown.  "  Hold  fast  the  faithful  word."  Titus. 
i.  9. 


against  satan's  devices.  \"i 


CHAP.  V. 

THE  FIFTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING  [TO  MEN]  THE  SINS 
OF  THE  GREATEST  SAINTS,  AND  HIDING  THEIR  RE- 
PENTANCE. 

ECCLES1ASTES   vii.   20. 
Not  a  just  man  upon  earth. 

Yea,  saith  Satan,  dost  thou  not  know  that  Noah 
was  a  just  man,  and  perfect  in  his  generation  ?  "  And 
Noah  walked  with  God."  Yet  Noah  was  guilty  of 
drunkenness.  Lot  was  a  righteous  man,  and  "Lot's 
righteous  soul  was  vexed  from  day  to  day  with  the 
filthy  conversation  of  the  wicked ;"  yet  even  he  com- 
mitted incest  with  his  daughters.  Abraham  and 
Isaac  were  good  men,  yet  both  denied  their  wives. 
Jacob  was  a  man  of  piety,  but  he  was  guilty  of  both 
deceit  and  lies.  David  was  a  man  after  God's  own 
heart,  yet  he  committed  adultery,  and  shed  innocent 
blood.  In  short,  Satan  artfully  states  the  pride  of 
Hezekiah,  the  impatience  of  Job,  the  blasphemy  of 
Peter,  he.  as  encouragements  to  the  soul  to  sin  with- 
out despair;  but  carefully  hideth  from  the  soul  the 
tears,  the  sighs,  the  groans,  the  meltings,  the  hum- 
blings,  and  the  repentings  of  these  pious  men. 


46  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Faithfully  to  remember,  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  hath  been  as  careful  in  describing  the  repent- 
ance of  these  saints  as  he  was  particular  in  noticing 
their  sins. 

Job  xlii.  6. 
I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes. 

'Tis  true,  O  Satan,  that  saints  do  fall  fearfully 
when  left  to  themselves ;  but  by  repentance  they  ail 
rise  sweetly,  and  become  ensamples  for  us  ;  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  they  are  set  forth  as  beacons, 
to  direct  our  way.  'Tis  true,  Job  curses  the  day 
of  his  birth  ;  but  behold  him  in  the  text.  Peter 
falls  dreadfully  ;  but  see  his  repentance;  Christ  looks 
upon  him  and  melts  him  into  tears.  Clement  notes,  that 
Peter  so  repented  that  all  his  life  after,  every  night 
when  he  heard  the  cock  crow,  he  would  fall  upon  his 
knees,  and  weeping  bitterly  would  crave  pardon  for 
this  sin.  Ah  !  souls,  you  can  easily  sin  with  David, 
and  Peter,  and  the  rest  of  these  saints,  but  can  you 
repent  with  them?  Ambrose  reproves  an  Emperor, 
(who  had  sinned  with  David,  and  was  pleading  his 
right  to  the  Lord's  supper  from  this  circumstance,) 
by  crying  out,  "  thou  hast  followed  David  transgres- 
sing, follow  David  repenting,  and  then  think  of  the 
table  of  the  Lord." 


against  satan's  devices.  47 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
these  saints  did  not  make  a  trade  of  sinning. 

Romans  vi.  2. 
God  forbid. 

They  fell  once  or  twice,  (and  rose  by  repentance,) 
that  they  might  live  the  closer  to  Christ  forever. 
They  fell  through  surprisals,  accidentally,  occa- 
sionally, and  with  much  reluctance  ;  but  it  may  be 
thou  sinnest  as  a  common  trade,  or  sin  is  by  custom 
become  a  second  nature  to  thee,  which  thou  canst 
not,  which  thou  wilt  not  lay  aside,  though  thou  know- 
est  that  if  thou  dost  not  lay  it  aside,  God  will  lay 
thy  soul  aside  forever  ;  though  thou  knowest,  that  if 
sin  and  thy  soul  do  not  part,  Christ  and  thy  soul  can 
never  meet.  Jf  thou  wilt  m^ke  a  trade  of  ain,  and 
cry  out,  did  not  David,  and  Peter,  and  other  great 
men  do  so,  knowest  thou  not  that  this  is  a  bad  mark 
against  thee  ?  Their  hearts  turned  aside  to  folly 
one  day,  but  thy  heart  every  day  ;  when  they  fall, 
they  rise  through  faith  and  repentance  in  a  crucified 
Christ;  but  thou  fullest,  and  hast  no  strength,  no 
faith,  no  repentance,  nor  a  crucified  Christ  to  look 
to. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  humbly  to  consider,  that 
though  God  will  not  cast  off  his  people  forever,  yet 
he  will  visit  their  iniquities  with  severe  chastisement. 


48  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

Psalm  Ixxxix.  32,  33. 

Their  iniquity  ivith  stripes. 

God's  corrections  are  our  instructions,  his  lashes 
our  lessons,  his  scourges  our  school-masters,  and  his 
chastisements  our  advertisements.  Luther  saith, 
"  afflictions  are  the  Christian  man's  divinity."  Da- 
vid sin?,  and  God  breaks  his  bones  for  his  sins. 
Psal.  lxi.  8.  The  Jews  have  a  proverb,  that  there 
is  no  punishment  comes  upon  Israel  in  which  there 
is  not  one  ounce  of  the  golden  calf:  meaning  that 
that  was  so  great  a  sin,  as  that  in  every  plague  God 
remembered  it,  and  that  it  had  an  influence  in  every 
trouble  that  befel  them.  Josephus  reports,  that  not 
long  after  the  Jews  had  crucified  Christ  on  the  cross, 
so  many  of  them  were  condemned  to  be  crucified  that 
there  were  not  places  enough  for  crosses,  nor  crosses 
enough  for  the  bodies.  When  Satan  shall  inform 
thee  of  other  men's  sins,  to  draw  thee  to  sin,  do  thou 
then  think  of  these  afflictions  and  sufferings  that 
they  endured  on  account  of  their  sins,  then  Jay  thy 
hand  upon  thy  heart,  and  say,  oh  !  my  soul,  art  thou 
able  to  bear  these  sorrows? 

The  fourth  Remedy  is  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  recording  of  the  sins  of  good  men  is  to  accom- 
plish some  great  end. 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES. 


49 


Job  xxxiii.  17. 

To  draw  man  from  his  purpose,  and  to  hide  pride 
from  him. 

The  Lord  may  be  said  to  have  designed  the 
magnifying  of  his  grace  and  mercy  in  them  that  fell; 
the  preserving  the  souls  of  his  children  from  sinking 
in  despair  under  the  burden  of  their  sins,  who  fall 
through  weakness  and  infirmity  :  and  that  their  falls 
may  be  as  land-marks,  to  warn  others  that  stand  to 
take  heed  lest  they  fall.  It  never  could  be  supposed, 
for  a  moment,  that  God  would  have  recorded  the  sins 
of  his  people  in  so  pointed  and  faithful  a  manner, 
that  those  who  should  read  the  account  might  be  en- 
couraged to  sin  thereby,  but  rather  to  evince  the  pu- 
rity of  the  Divine  perfections,  the  honor  of  the  holy 
law,  the  eternal  hatred  of  sin,  and  the  depth  of  the 
riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  in 
pardoning  the  soul,  yet  scourging  it  for  sin,  and  in 
exciting  the  minds  of  those  that  stand  to  keep  the 
closer  to  the  skirts  of  Christ. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  thankfully  to  consider,  that 

the  excellence  and  power  of  God's  grace   and  truth 

are  the  more  illustrated,  and  the  evil  of  sin  exposed. 

2  Corinthians  xii.  9. 

I  glory  in  infirmities. 

There  is  an   evident  excellency   in  the  grace  of 

Ood,  in  its  reigning  authority  and  glory  over  sin  and 

5 


50  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

emptation,  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  hereby  ma- 
king men  able  to  stand  out  against  this  mighty  ad- 
versary;  and  that  notwithstanding  all  the  plots,  devi- 
ces, and  stratagems  of  Satan,  grace  and  truth  makes 
them  victorious  here,  and  crowns  them  with  glory 
hereafter.  The  greater  and  subtler  the  enemy,  the 
more  divine  wisdom,  and  power,  and  goodness  shine 
in  preserving  his  children  from  a  compliance  with  the 
snares  of  the  devil.  When  Paul  considered  this  sub- 
ject, he  revoked  his  sad  conjectures,  and  took  cour- 
age to  glory  in  his  infirmities,  his  own  weaknesses  and 
distresses,  and  in  Satan's  bufferings,  that  the  power 
of  Christ  might  rest  upon  him.  Thus,  though  there 
should  not  be  a  just  man  upon  the  earth  that  doeth 
good  and  sinneth  not,  yet  there  cannot  arise  the  en- 
couragement to  any  person  to  live  in  sin  from  hence, 
if  we  reflect  upon  the  repentance  of  the  saints,  or 
the  conduct  of  God  to  them  under  those  sins,  he. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  society  of  such  men  is  dangerous. 

JUDE    16. 
Walking  after  their  own  lusts. 

Against  this  fifth  device  of  Satan  to  draw  the  soul 
to  sin,  from  the  sins  and  fallings  of  good  men,  be  it 
remembered,  that  the  company  of  such  men,  who 
take  encouragement  to  sin  from  the  sins  of  the  right- 
eous, is  ever  to  be  considered  as  infectious  and  ruin- 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES.  ">1 

ous  to  souls.  The  scriptures  speak  loudly  and  most 
solemnly  on  this  point,  in  the  different  names,  no- 
tions, and  characters  that  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  given 
to  such  men:  take,  for  instance,  this  short  epistle  of 
Jude,  and  profit  by  the  relation  of  them.  Ah  !  my 
friends,  how  many  have  lost  their  names,  their  es- 
tates, their  strength,  their  God,  their  heaven,  and 
their  souls  forever  by  the  society  of  wicked  men  ! 
As  the  seaman  shuns  the  sands,  and  rocks,  and 
shoals,  and  as  ye  would  shun  the  house  where  the 
plague  dreadfully  reigns,  so  (lee  from  that  man  or 
woman  that  can  take  liberty  to  sin  from  the  failings 
of  pious  men. 


52 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  VI. 


THE  SIXTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  BY  PERSUADING  THE  SOUL,  THAT  THE 
WORK  OF  REPENTANCE  IS  AN  EASY   WORK. 

Psalm  vi.  2. 
Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  Lord,  <^e. 

Why,   suppose  you   do   sin,    saith  Satan,   its   no 
iuch    difficult  thing   to  return  and  confess,  and  be 
sorrowful  and  ask   forgiveness,  saying,  "  have  mer- 
cy upon  me,   O  Lord!"     If  you  do  but  this,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  but  that  God  will  hear  you,  quit 
the  score,  pardon  your   sins,  and  save  your  souls ; 
upon  this  repentance  you  have  nothing  to  fear ;  for 
the   goodness  of  God  is  great,   and  sinners  of  all 
casts    and   characters   have   cried  for    mercy,  and 
found  a  ready  pardon  :  and  therefore  the  soul  doth 
not  need  to  be  troubled,  nor  make  so  much  of  sin- 
ning,   as  repentance  is   so  easy  a  work.     By  this 
artful  device   Satan   draws  many  souls  to  sin  :  and 
may  be   said   to   make  millions  slaves  to   lust  :  or 
frighten  them  to  despair  that  there  is  no  repentance 
for  them  ;  for  sometimes,  and  to  some  characters,  he 
represents   repentance    as  a  light  affair,  and  anon 
he  cries  it  up  so  high   and  difficult  that  (ew  can   at- 
tain it. 


against  satan's  devices.  55 

Hosea  xvi.  8. 

Ephraim  shall  say,  what  have  I  to  do  any  more  with 

idols  ? 

Herod  turned  from  many  sins,  but  turned  not 
from  his  Herodias,  which  was  his  ruin.  Judas  turn- 
ed from  all  visible  wickedness,  yet  he  would  not  cast 
out  that  golden  devil,  covetousness,  and  therefore 
he  was  cast  into  the  hottest  place  in  hell.  He  that 
turns  not  from  darling  sins,  turns  not  aright  from 
any  one  sin.  Every  sin  strikes  at  the  honor  of 
God,  the  being  of  God,  the  heart  of  God,  the  heart 
of  Christ,  the  joy  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  peace  of  a 
man's  own  conscience.  True  repentance  therefore 
strikes  at  all  sin,  hates  all,  and  conflicts  with  all  ; 
right  eyes  and  right  hands  plucks  out  and  cuts  off 
from  the  real  penitent;  for  one  Agag  spared  cost 
Saul  his  kingdom,  and  at  last  his  soul.  Thus  re- 
pentance is  a  great  work,  and  not  only  includeth  a 
sorrow  for  sin,  but  a  loathing  of  a  person's  self  be- 
fore God,  accompanied  with  a  holy  shame,  and 
blushing  (of  the  face)  at  the  throne  of  grace,  a  long- 
ing of  the  soul  to  all  good  things,  and  a  new  obe- 
dience in  life,  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
repentance  is  a  continued  act  and  exercise,  both  in 
heart  and  life. 


56  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

Psalm  li.  3. 

J  acknowledge  my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  ev- 
er before  me. 

Repentance  is  a  grace  of  God,  and  it  must  have 
its  daily  operation  as  well  as  other  graces.  A  true 
penitent  must  go  on  from  faith  to  faith,  from 
strength  to  strength  :  he  can  never  stand  still  nor 
turn  back.  Repentance  is  a  continued  act  of  turn- 
ing, a  repentance  never  to  be  repented  of,  a  turn- 
ing never  to  turn  again  to  folly.  True  penitents 
have  ever  something  within  them,  as  well  as  those 
things  that  are  without  them,  to  turn  them ;  they 
are  still  sensible  of  sin,  and  still  conflicting  with  sin  ; 
still  sorrowing,  still  loathing,  and  still  humbling 
themselves  before  God  for  their  sins  :  and  daily  find 
that  repentance  is  no  transient  act,  but  a  continual 
act  of  the  soul :  therefore  tell  me,  O  tempted  soul, 
whether  it  be  an  easy  thing,  as  Satan  would  make 
thee  believe,  to  be  every  day  turning  more  and  more 
from  sin,  and  turning  nearer  and  nearer  to  God,  as 
thy  chiefest  good  and  only  happiness.  As  one  act 
of  faith  and  love  cannot  content  a  believer,  so  nei- 
ther can  one  act  of  repentance. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
if  the  work  of  repentance  is  so  easy  as  Satan  would 
represent,  then  certainly  the  soul  would  not  cry  out 
with  such  terror  and  horror  of  conscience  for  not 
repenting. 


against  Satan's  devices.  ">;J 

The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First,  Seriously  to  consider  that  repentance  is  a 
great  and  difficult  work. 

Jeremiah  xiii,  23. 

Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard 
his  spots  ? 

There  is  no  power,  below  that  power  that  raised 
Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  that  can  break  the  heart 
of  a  sinner,  and  turn  a  sinner  by  repentance,  to 
God.  O  man  !  thou  art  as  well  able  to  melt  ada- 
mant, as  to  melt  thine  own  heart  :  to  turn  a  flint 
into  flesh,  as  to  turn  thine  own  heart  to  the  Lord  ; 
to  raise  the  dead,  and  to  make  a  new  world,  as  to 
repent.  Repentance  is  a  flower  that  grows  not  in 
Nature's  garden.  Men  are  not  born  with  repent- 
ance in  their  hearts,  as  they  are  with  tongues  in 
their  mouths.  Repentance  is  a  gift  that  cometh 
down  from  above ;  and  there  is  no  man  able  (by  his 
own  power)  to  repent  at  pleasure.  Fallen  man  hath 
lost  the  command  of  himself;  and  therefore  he  that 
cannot  command  himself,  cannot  repent  of  himself. 
As  many  are  undone  by  buying  a  counterfeit 
jewel,  so  many  are  in  hell  by  mistaking  their  re- 
pentance. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider  the 
nature  of  true  repentance. 


54  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


Jeremiah  xxxi.  18,  19. 
Turn  thou  me  and  I  shall  be  turned. 

Repentance  is  sometimes  taken  in  a  more  strict 
and  narrow  sense  for  godly  sorrow ;  sometimes  it 
is  taken  in  a  large  sense  for  a  change  in  the  person, 
and  in  his  life.  True  repentance  hath  three  things, 
viz.  the  act — subject — terms. 

1.  The  act  of  repentance  is  a  turning,  a  chang- 
ing, or  converting  from  one  thing  to  another,  as  from 
sin  to  God. 

2.  The  subject  changed  and  converted,  is  the 
whole  man  ;  'tis  both  the  sinner's  heart  and  life  : 
first  his  heart,  then  his  life  :  his  person  first,  then  his 
practice  and  conversation. 

3.  The  terms  of  this  change  and  turning,  from 
which  and  to  which  both  heart  and  life  must  be  con- 
verted from  all  sin  to  God.  The  heart  must  be 
changed  from  the  state  and  power  of  sin,  and  the  life 
from  the  practice,  and  both  unto  God;  the  heart  to  be 
under  his  power  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  the  life  un- 
der his  rule  in  all  new  obedience.  Luther  saith, 
"  Repentance  for  sin  is  nothing  worth,  without  re- 
pentance from  sin." 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
repentance  includeth  a  turning  from  the  sweetest  and 
most  darling  sin. 


against  satan's  devices.  57 

Luke  xvi.  24,  30. 

/  am  tormented  in  this  flame. — Nay,  hut  if  one  went 

unto  them  from  the  dead,  they  would  repent. 

If  repentance  be  a  thing  so  easy,  why  should  so 
many  lie  roaring  under  the  terrors  of  their  con- 
science for  not  repenting  ?  Surely  so  many  millions 
would  not  perish  forever  if  it  were  an  easy  thing  to 
repent.  All !  do  not  poor  souls,  under  the  horrors 
of  their  conscience,  cry  out  and  say,  that  were  the 
world  a  lump  of  gold,  and  in  their  hands  to  dispose 
of,  they  would  give  it  all  for  the  least  drop  of  true 
repentance  ?  If  repentance  be  so  easy,  why 
then  do  (wicked)  men's  hearts  rise  so  furiously 
against  the  preaching  of  the  doctrine  of  repentance 
in  the  strongest  and  choicest  arguments  that  the 
scriptures  doth  afford?  Tell  me,  O  soul!  when 
a  poor  sinner,  whose  conscience  is  awakened,  shall 
judge  the  exchange  of  all  the  world  for  the  least 
tear  of  true  repentance  to  be  the  happiest  and  no- 
blest exchange  ever  made,  if  repentance  can  be  an 
easy  work  ? 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  duly  to  consider,  that  to  re- 
pent of  sin  is  as  great  a  work  of  grace  as  not  to  sin. 

2  Corinthians  vii.  II. 
For  behold  this  self-same  thing,   Spc. 

By  our  sinful  fall  the  powers  of  the  soul  are  weak- 
ened, the  strength  of  grace  is  decayed,  our  evidences 


58  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES  . 

for  heaven  blotted,  fears  and  doubts  are  raised  in  the 
soul,  and  corruptions  in  the  heart  are  advantaged 
and  confirmed  :  now  for  the  soul,  notwithstanding  all 
this,  to  repent  of  his  falls,  must  shew,  that  it  is  a 
great  work  of  grace  to  repent  of  sin.  Christ  is  the 
soul's  physician,  and  repentance  is  the  emetic  that 
causeth  the  conscience  to  throw  off  its  load  of  sin  ; 
and  Jesus'  blood  is  the  healing  balm.  The  same 
means  that  tend  to  preserve  the  soul  from  sin,  the 
same  means  work  in  the  soul  to  rise  by  repentance 
when  fallen  into  sin.  Psal.  xxvi.  3,  4.  Hos.  vi.  1,  2. 
Remember,  that  there  is  much  of  the  power  of  God, 
love  of  God,  faith  in  God,  fear  of  God,  care  to 
please  God,  and  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God,  requi- 
site to  work  a  man  to  repent  of  his  sins,  as  there 
is  to  keep  him  from  sin  ;  therefore  it  is  as  great  a 
work  of  the  Lord  in  us  to  repent  truly  of  sin,  as  not  to 
sin  ;  consequently  it  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  repent, 


59 


CHAP.  VII. 

THE  SEVENTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  TO  MAKE  THE  SOUL  BOLD  TO  VENTURE 
UPON  THE  OCCASIONS  OF  SIN. 

Joshua  vii.  21. 

When  J  saw  among  (he  spoils  a  goodly  Babylonish 

garment,  fyc.  and  a  wedge  of  gold,  I  coveted. 

Yea,  saith  Satan,  you  may  walk  by  the  harlot's 
door,  though  you  won't  go  into  her  bed,  there  can 
be  no  danger  in  coming  by  the  house  ;  you  may  look 
upon  Jezebel's  beauty,  though  you  do  no  come  near 
to  her  chamber  ;  you  may  sit  and  play  upon  the  lap, 
and  freely  chat  with  Delilah,  though  you  do  not  com- 
mit wickedness  with  her  ;  and  with  Aclian  handle 
the  golden  wedge,  though  you  do  not  steal  it.  Sure- 
ly saith  Satan,  a  man  may  sit,  converse,  and  trade 
with  other  men,  although  they  should  not  be  so  reli- 
gious as  he  is,  and  yet  receive  no  harm ;  for  it  is  not 
our  being  in  company,  but  our  heart  that  can  make 
us  sinners  ;  therefore  we  may  venture  to  go  by  the 
way  side,  and  sit  and  enjoy  the  lively  company  of 
such  men  as  differ,  from  us,  without  any  danger  at 
all  to  our  persons  and  characters. 


60 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  the  scriptures 
expressly  forbid  us  to  come  near  to  the  occasion  of 
sin. 

Proverbs  v.  8. 

Remove  thy  way  from  her,    and  come  not  nigh  the 
door  of  her  house. 

The  word  of  God  expressly  commands  us  to  avoid 
the  occasion  of  sin,  and  abstain  from  the  very  ap- 
pearance of  evil,  and  do  nothing  wherin  sin  appears, 
or  which  hath  a  shadow  of  it ;  whatsoever  is  unsound 
and  unsavory  shun,  as  you  would  a  serpent  in  your 
way.  Theodosius  tore  the  Arian's  arguments  pre- 
sented to  him  in  writing,  because  he  found  them  re- 
pugnant to  the  scriptures  ;  and  Augustine  retracted 
all  his  ironies,  because  they  had  the  appearance  of 
lying.  It  was  good  counsel  that  Livia  gave  her  hus- 
band Augustus  :  "It  behooveth  thee  not  only  to  do 
no  wrong,  but  not  to  seem  to  do  so."  Bernard  saith, 
whatever  is  of  an  ill  shew,  or  of  ill  report,  that  we 
may  neither  wound  conscience  nor  credit,  we  must 
shun,  and  be  shy  with  the  very  shadow,  if  we  value 
our  credit  abroad,  or  our  comfort  at  home.  Jude 
23. 


61 

The  second  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
there  can  be  no  conquest  over  sin  without  the  soul 
turns  from  the  occasion  of  sin. 

Psalm  i.  1. 

Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  council 
of  the  ungodly. 

As  long  as  the  human  heart  carries  its  own  fuel 
for  every  temptation,  we  cannot  be  secure  :  for  he 
that  taketh  gunpowder  with  him  had  need  keep  at  a 
distance  from  the  sparks.  To  rush  upon  the  occa- 
sions of  sin,  is  both  to  tempt  ourselves  and  to  tempt 
Satan  to  tempt  our  souls.  It  is  very  rare  that  any 
soul  plays  with  the  occasions  of  sin,  but  that  soul  is 
insnared  by  sin ;  yea,  it  is  morally  impossible  for 
that  man  to  get  the  conquest  of  sin,  that  daily  sports 
and  plays  with  the  occasions  of  sin.  He  that  adven- 
tures upon  the  occasions  of  sin,  is  as  one  that  would 
attempt  to  quench  the  fire  with  oil,  which  is  as  fuel 
to  inflame  and  increase  its  rage.  Ah  !  souls,  often 
remember  how  frequently  you  have  been  overcome 
by  sin  when  you  have  boldly  ventured  upon  the  oc- 
casion. Look  back,  and  view  the  days  of  your  van- 
ity, wherein  you  have  been  as  easily  conquered  as 
tempted ;  vanquished  as  assaulted.  If  you  would 
be  victorious  over  sin,  oh  !  flee  from  the  occasion  of 
sin. 

6 


62 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


The  third  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
the  children  of  God  have  turned  away  from  the  occa- 
sions of  sin,  as  from  sin  itself. 

Job  xxxi.  1. 

/  have  made  a  covenant  with  mine  eyes,  fyc. 

I  set  a  watch  at  the  entrance  of  my  senses,  that 
my  soul  might  not  by  them  be  infected  and  endan- 
gered. The  eye  is  the  window  of  the  soul,  if  that 
should  always  be  open,  the  soul  must  smart  for  it. 
The  Heathens  would  not  look  upon  beauty,  lest  they 
should  be  insnared.  Democritus  plucked  out  his 
own  eyes  to  avoid  the  danger  of  uncleanness.  The 
Nazarite  might  not  only  not  drink  wine,  but  he  must 
not  taste  a  grape,  or  the  lush  of  a  grape.  The  leap- 
er  was  to  shave  his  hair  and  to  pare  his  nails,  to  take 
away  all  occasion  of  danger.  Satan  counts  a  fit  oc- 
casion half  a  conquest,  for  lie  knows  that  corrupt  na- 
ture hath  a  seed-plot  of  all  sin,  which  being  once 
drawn  forth  and  watered  by  sinful  occasions,  is  soon 
set  to  work,  to  the  producing  of  death  and  destruc- 
tion. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider  that 
to  depart  from  the  occasion  of  sin  is  a  strong  evi- 
dence of  the  grace  of  God  in  us. 


ft 

Psalm  xix.   12,13. 

Keep  back  thy  servant  from  presumptive  sins  ;   then 
shall  I  be  upright. 

That  the  avoiding  the  occasions  of  sin  is  an  mitic- 
niable  evidence  of  grace,  and  that  which  exalts  a  man 
above  most  other  men  in  the  world.  He  is  a  man  of 
grace  indeed,  who,  when  in  temptation,  and  when 
sinful  occasions  present  themselves  before  the  soul, 
can  nobly  withdraw  himself  from  the  snare  :  this 
speaks  out  both  the  truth  and  the  strength  of  his 
grace,  when  with  Lot  a  man  can  be  chaste  in  Sodom; 
with  Job  can  walk  uprightly  in  the  land  of  Uz  ;  with 
Timothy  can  live  temperately  in  Asia,  among  the 
luxurious  Ephesians ;  and,  with  Daniel  and  his  com- 
panions, lead  an  holy  life  amongst  the  profane  and 
superstitious  Babylonians.  Many  a  man  is  big  and 
full  of  sinful  corruption,  but  shews  it  not,  for  want 
of  an  opportunity  to  favor  his  lust:  but  that  man 
must  surely  be  good,  who,  when  the  most  favorable 
occasions  to  sin  are  given  him,  still  avoids  the  evil. 
Therefore,  as  you  would  cherish  a  precious  evidence 
of  grace  in  your  own  souls,  shun  all  occasion  to  sin. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that  by 
closer  communion  with  God  we  shall  prevail  both 
against  sin  and  the  occasions  of  sin. 


64 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


1  John  i.  7. 

If  we  walk  in  the  light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with 
another. 

Our  strength  to  stand  and  withstand  all  Satan's 
fiery  darts  is  from  our  nearness  to  God  :  a  soul  high 
in  communion  with  God  may  be  tempted,  but  will 
not  easily  be  conquered  ;  for  this  communion  is  the 
result  of  our  union,  and  a  reciprocal  exchange  be- 
tween Christ  and  a  gracious  soul.  Communion  is 
Jacob's  ladder,  where  you  have  Christ  coming  down 
into  the  soul,  and  the  soul  sweetly  ascending  up  to 
Christ,  by  the  divine  influences.  Adam  loseth  his 
communion  with  God,  and  is  overcome  through  the 
snare  of  the  devil.  Sampson,  Davkl,  Job,  and  Pe- 
ter, whilst  they  kept  up  communion  with  God,  no 
enemy  could  stand  before  them  ;  for  Job  conquered 
even  upon  the  dunghill.  Thus  communion  with  God 
furnisheth  the  soul  with  the  greatest  and  the  choicest 
arguments  to  turn  away  from  the  bold  ventures  and 
occasions  of  sin. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
whenever  sin,  or  the  occasions  of  sin,  do  attempt  to 
draw  us  to  a  compliance,  we  should  call  for  fresh 
strength  from  Christ. 

John  xv.  5. 
For  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing. 

Certainly  for  the  soul  not  to  be  taken  in  by  the  oc- 
casions of  sin,  but  manfully  to  stand  out  and  con- 


against  satan's  devices.  M 

quer,  supposeth  the  soul  daily  to  be  receiving  new 
supplies  from  Jesus  Christ.  Oh  !  saith  the  soul,  I 
see  a  new  snare  laid  to  catch  my  soul,  and  the  grace, 
resolution,  and  ability  I  had  for  the  former  one  will 
not  do  for  this  ;  give  me  new  strength,  new  power, 
new  influence,  and  new  measures  of  grace,  that  I 
may  escape  this  sad  snare  also.  Ah  !  souls,  consid- 
er that  your  strength  to  stand  and  overcome  the  oc- 
casions of  sin,  must  not  be  expected  from  graces  re- 
ceived, but  from  the  fresh  and  renewed  influences  of 
heaven  :  you  must  lean  more  upon  Christ  than  upon 
spiritual  tastes  and  discoveries,  or  Satan  will  lead 
you  captive  by  this  device,  in  emboldening  you  to 
venture  upon  the  occasions  of  sin. 


66  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  VIII. 

THE  EIGHTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING  THE  PROSPERITY  AND 
MERCIES  THAT  ATTEND  THE  WICKED. 

Jeremiah  xliv.  16,  17,  18. 

For  then  had  we  plenty,  and  were  well,  and  saw  no 

evil. 

Oh  !  soul,  saith  Satan,  dost  thou  not  see  the  ma- 
ny mercies  that  such  and  such  enjoy,  who  walk  in 
those  ways  that  thy  soul  startles  to  think  of;  and 
how  many  crosses  they  are  delivered  from,  even  such 
as  make  other  men  spend  their  days  in  sighing, 
weeping,  groaning,  and  mourning  ?  And  therefore, 
saith  Satan,  if  thou  vvouldst  be  freed  from  the  dark 
night  of  adversity,  and  walk  in  the  sunshine  of  pros- 
perity, thou  must  come  forth  and  walk  cheerfully  in 
jthe  ways  of  such  men  as  never  knew  adversity  :  thus 
should  all  things  go  well  with  you  in  this  world,  and 
your  souls  be  preserved  from  those  distressing  fears 
and  afflictions  that  bring  down  the  strength  and  sink 
the  spirits  of  religious  men. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 


67 

i 

First.  Carefully  to  consider,  that  no  man  can 
know  either  the  love  or  the  hatred  of  God  by  al) 
outward  things. 

ECCLESIASTES   ix.    1,    2. 

All  tilings  come  alike  to  all. 

Seriously  consider  that  no  .man  knows  how  the 
heart  of  God  stands  by  his  hands  :  his  hand  of  mer- 
cy may  be  towards  a  man,  when  his  heart  is  against 
him  ;  as  you  see  in  Saul :  S  \  the  hand  of  God  may 
be  set  against  a  man  when  i  is  heart  is  dearly  set  up- 
on him  ;  as  you  see  in  Jo'j  and  Ephraim  ;  the  hand 
of  God  were  sorely  set  against  them,  and  yet  the 
heart  and  bowels  of  God  re  strongly  working  to- 
wards them.  No  man  then,  can  know  either  the 
love  or  the  hatred  of  the  Lord  by  outward  mercy  or 
miser}'  ;  for  all  things  come  alike  to  all,  to  the  right- 
eous and  to  the  unrighteous,  to  the  good  and  to  the 
bad,  and  to  the  clean  and  to  the  unclean.  The  sun 
of  prosperity  shines  as  well  upon  the  brambles  of  the 
wilderness,  as  upon  the  fruit-trees  in  the  orchard  ; 
the  snow  and  hail  of  adversity  lights  upon  the  best 
garden,  as  well  as  upon  a  stinking  dunghill.  Saul 
and  Jonathan  were  different  characters  in  life,  yet 
in  their  deaths  were  not  divided.  Health,  wealth, 
honor,  crosses,  losses  and  sicknesses,  are  cast  upon 
good  and  bad  men  promiscuously ;  and  in  general 


68  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

the  worst  of  men  have  the  most  of  this  world,   and 
the  best  men  the  least. 

The  second  Remedy,  is  seriously  to  consider, 
that  wicked  men  are  the  most  needy  men  in  the 
world. 

Esther  v.  12,  13. 

Yet  all  this  availeth  me  nothing. 

It  is  true  the  wicked  have  honors,  riches,  pleas- 
ures, and  friends,  and  are  mighty  in  power ;  their 
seed  is  established  in  the  earth,  and  their  hearts  are 
lifted  up  and  grown  big  through  the  thoughts  of 
their  abundance,  and  their  eyes  stand  out  with  fat- 
ness ;  neither  are  they  in  trouble  like  other  men  :  yet 
all  this  is  nothing  to  what  they  want — they  want 
an  interest  in  God,  Christ,  the  Spirit,  the  promises, 
the  covenant  of  grace,  and  the  everlasting  glory  ; 
they  want  acceptance  and  reconciliation  with  God  : 
they  want  righteousness,  justification,  sanctification, 
and  adoption,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ;  they 
want  pardon  of  sin,  power,  freedom,  and  dominion 
over  all  sin.  A  crown  of  gold  cannot  cure  the  head- 
ache, nor  a  velvet  slipper  ease  the  gout ;  so  neither 
can  all  the  glory  of  this  world  still  the  conscience. 
The  heart  may  be  compared  to  a  triangle,  which  the 
whole  round  circle  of  the  world  cannot  fill,  but  the 
corners  would  complain,  and  cry  out  for  something 


against  satan's  devices.  69 

else.     But  Oh  !  the  wants  of  such  men  that  are  with- 
out God. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
outward  things  are  not  as  they  seem  and  are  esteemed 
by  vain  men. 

Psalm  lxxiii.  3. 

/  was  envious  at  the  foolish  when  I  saw  the 'prosperity 

of  the  wicked,   fyc.   fyc. 

They  have,  indeed,  a  glorious  outside  ;  but  when 
you  view  their  insides,  you  will  soon  find  that  they 
fill  the  head  full  of  cares  and  the  heart  full  of  fears. 
What  if  the  fire  should  consume  one  part  of  my  es- 
tate, and  the  sea  should  swallow  up  another  part  ? 
What  if  my  servants  should  be  unfaithful  abroad, 
and  my  children  deceitful  at  home  ?  It  was  a  good 
saying  of  Augustine,  "  Many  are  miserable  by  lov- 
ing hurtful  things,  but  they  are  more  miserable  by 
having  them."  It  was  a  noble  speech  of  an  Empe- 
ror, "You  gaze  on  my  purple  robe  and  golden  crown, 
but  did  you  know  what  cares  are  under  it,  you 
would  not  stoop  to  take  it  up  from  the  ground  tho' 
you  might  have  it  for  that."  Ah  !  the  secret  fret- 
tings,  vexings,  and  gnawings  that  do  daily,  yea,  and 
hourly  attend  those  men's  souls  whose  hands  and 
hearts  are  full  of  this  world's  goods  ;  therefore,  it  is 
not  what  a  man  enjoys,  but  the  principle  from  whence 
it  comes,  that  can  make  men  happy.     If  God  gives 


70  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

them  in  his  wrath,  and  does  not  sanctify  them  in  his 
love,  they  will  be  swift  witnesses  against  a  man  for 
the  abuse  of  these  good  things. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider  the 
end  and  the  design  of  God  in  heaping  up  mercy 
without  misery  upon  the  head  of  the  wicked. 

Exodus  ix.  16. 
For  this  cause  have  I  raised  thee  up,  fyc. 

God's  setting  them  up  is  but  in  order  to  his  cast- 
ing them  down  ;  his  raising  them  high  is  but  in  or- 
der to  his  bringing  them  low,  that  he  may  let  fly  at 
them  his  arrows,  and  pursue  them  safely,  and  over- 
take them  with  his  sore  judgments,  that  his  name 
may  be  great  in  Israel,  when  he  has  brought  down 
the  pride,  power,  pomp,  and  glory  of  the  wicked. 
The  Emperor  Valens  fell  from  his  throne,  to  be  a 
footstool  to  Sapor,  King  of  Persia;  Dyonisius  fell 
from  bis  kingly  glory,  to  be  a  schoolmaster ;  and 
how  did  the  Lord  bring  down  the  rage  and  glory  of 
Pbaroah,  king  of  Egypt!  There  is  not  a  wicked 
man  or  woman  in  the  world  that  is  lifted  up,  with 
Lucifer,  as  high  as  heaven,  but  shall,  with  him,  be 
brought  down  as  low  as  hell.  O  Lord,  make  me 
rather  gracious,  than  great ;  inwardly  holy,  rather 
than  outwardly  happy  ;  little  in  this  world,  that  I 
may  be  great  in  another  ;  low  here,  that  I  may  be 
high  forever  hereafter  :  yea,  let  me  be  now  clothed 


against  satan's  devices.  71 


with  rags,  and  at  last  decked  with  thy  robes,  rather 
than  set  up  for  a  time,  that  thou  mayest  bring  me 
low  forever.  Psal.  xcii.  7. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  humbly  to  consider,  that 
God  doth  often  most  singularly  plague  and  punish 
those  whom  we  are  ready  to  think  he  loveth  most. 

Psalm  cvi.  15. 

He  gave  them  their  request,  but  sent  leanness  into 

their  souls. 

The  Lord  doth  plague  and  punish  with  spiritual 
judgments  (which  are  the  greatest  and  sorest  of  all 
calamities)  them  whom  he  seems  to  punish  the  least 
with  temporals.  There  are  no  men  on  earth  so  iruer- 
nally  plagued  as  those  that  meet  with  the  least  exter- 
nal plague.  Who  can  describe  the  blindness  of 
mind,  the  hardness  of  heart,  the  searedness  of  con- 
science, that  those  men  are  given  up  to,  who,  in  the 
eye  of  the  world,  are  reputed  the  most  happy,  be- 
cause they  are  not  afflicted,  and  in  trouble,  as  other 
men  ?  My  friends,  nothing  can  belter  or  move  that 
man  who  is  given  up  to  spiritual  judgments  :  let  life 
or  death,  heaven  or  hell,  be  set  before  him,  it  stirs 
him  not :  he  is  made  up  in  his  sins,  and  God  is  fully 
set  to  do  justice  upon  his  soul.  This  man's  treas- 
ures and  preservations  are  but  his  fuel  and  reserva- 
tion unto  greater  condemnation.  It  is  better  to  have 
a  sore,  than  a  seared  conscience ;  it  is  better  to  have 


72  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

no  heart,  than  a  hard  heart ;  yea,  it  is  better  to  have 
no  mind  than  to  have  a  blind  mind.  Oh  !  'tis  a  heavy 
plague  to  have  a  fat  body  and  a  lean  soul  ;  a  house 
full  of  gold,  and  a  heart  full  of  sin. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemly  to  consider,  that 
there  is  no  greater  misery  in  this  life,  than  for  a  man 
to  go  unpunished. 

Hebrews  xii.  8. 

If  ye  be  without  chastisement,   then  are  ye  bastards, 
and  not  sons. 

There  is  no  greater  misery  in  this  life,  than  not  to 
be  in  misery;  no  greater  affliction,  than  not  to  be 
afflicted.  Woe,  woe  to  the  soul  that  God  will  not 
spend  a  rod  upon.  This  is  the  saddest  stroke  of 
any  when  God  refuses  to  strike  at  all.  When  the 
physician  gives  over  the  patient,  you  say  there  is  no 
hope,  the  man  is  dead  ;  so  when  God  gives  over  a 
soul  to  sin  without  afflictions  or  control,  you  may 
say  that  that  man  is  a  bastard,  and  no  son  of  God  ; 
for  he  is  as  dead  to  God  and  happiness,  as  the  man 
whose  knell  is  rung.  Freedom  from  the  rod  is  the 
mother  of  carnal  security.  Nothing,  saith  one, 
seems  more  unhappy  to  me,  than  he  to  whom  no  ad- 
versity hath  happened.  Outward  mercies  and  pros- 
perity are  oftentimes  stumbling  blocks,  at  which  mil- 
lions have  stumbled,  and   fallen  eternally.     "  I  will 


against  satan's  devices.  73 

lay  a  stumbling  block."  Ezek.  Hi.  20.  Vatablus, 
in  his  notes,  saith  thus,  "  I  will  prosper  him  in  all 
tilings,  and  not  by  afflictions  restrain  him  from  sin." 
The  heart  of  man  is  like  a  top,  that  will  not  go  un- 
less it  be  whipped,  and  the  more  you  whip  it  the  bet- 
ter it  goes.  Bees  are  killed  with  honey,  but  quick- 
ened with  vinegar ;  so  does  the  honey  of  prosperity 
kill  the  soul,  and  the  vinegar  of  correction  quicken 
our  spirits. 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  IX. 

THE  MXTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING  TO  IT  THE  CROSSES, 
LOSSES,  AND  DAILY  REPROACHES  AND  EVILS  THAT 
ATTEND  THOSE  WHO  WALK  IN  THE  WAYS  OF  HO- 
LINESS. 

Hebrews  x.  33. 

A  gazing-stock  both  by  reproaches  and  afflictions. 

Saith  Satan,  do  you  not  see  that  there  are  none 
in  all  the  world  that  are  so  hard  set,  vexed  and  af- 
flicted and  tossed  about,  as  those  that  walk  more 
circumspectly  and  holily  than  their  neighbors  ? 
They  are  a  by-word  at  home,  and  a  reproach 
abroad ;  their  miseries  come  in  upon  them  like 
Job's  messengers,  one  upon  the  neck  of  another, 
and  there  is  no  end  of  their  sorrows  and  troubles ; 
therefore  saith  Satan  you  had  better  walk  in  the 
ways  of  the  worldly  good  man,  where  there  are 
less  crosses,  losses,  and  afflictions,  than  to  be  so 
very  religious  and  circumspect;  for  who  but  a  mad- 
man would  spend  all  his  days  in  sorrow,  vexation 
and  sore  travail  and  contempt,  when  he  might  pre- 
vent all  this  weight  of  affliction  by  walking  in  the  way 
of  his  forefathers  and  his  neighbors,  whom  he  seeth 
to  live  in  peace,  who  are  far  from  trouble  ? 


against  satan's  devices.  75 

The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  all  the  afflictions 
that  attend  the  righteous  shall  tend  to  their  instruc- 
tion and  profit. 

Isaiah  i.  25. 

/  will  turn  my  hand   upon  ihee,    and  purely  purge 

away  thy  dross. 

Crosses,  losses,  and  afflictions  are  the  Christian's 
glass,  wherein  the  soul  hath  the  clearest  sight  of 
the  ugly  face  of  sin  ;  and  views  it  not  only  as  sin, 
but  as  the  greatest  evil  in  the  world,  yea,  worse  than 
hell  itself.  By  these  afflictions  God  mortifies  and 
purgeth  away  the  sins  of  his  people ;  they  serve  as 
his  furnace,  to  cleanse  and  refine  from  their  dross 
and  tin ;  it  is  a  potion  to  carry  away  all  bad  humors, 
better  than  all  the  benedicta  medicamentum  of  phy- 
sicians. Aloes  kill  worms;  colds  and  frosts  de- 
stroy vermin ;  so  do  afflictions  the  corruptions  of 
the  heart :  they  have  also  a  preserving  and  prevent- 
ing good  to  all  his  saints.  Afflictions  are  sweet 
preservatives  to  keep  the  saints  from  sin  ;  as  the 
burnt  child  dreads  the  fire,  so  the  child  of  God 
dreads  sinning  more  than  hell.  Salt  preserves  from 
putrefaction  ;  and  salt  marshes  keep  the  sheep  from 
the  rot :  so  doth   affliction  keep  the  saints  from  sin. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
afflictions   are  but  inlets    to   the  soul   of  the   more 


76 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


abundant  sweets,  and  full  enjoyment  of  God  and  di- 
vine truth  in  this  world. 

Hosea  ii.  14. 
1  will  bring  her  into  the  wilderness,  and  speak  com- 
fortably unto  her. 

The  flowers  smell  sweetest  after  a  shower:  vines 
bear  the  better  for  bleeding ;  the  walnut-tree  is  most 
fruitful  when  most  beaten  :  so  the  saints  spring  and 
thrive  most  internally,  when  they  are  most  exter- 
nally afflicted.  When  was  it  that  God  appeared  in 
his  glory  to  Jacob,  and  favored  his  soul  with  more 
than  common  inlets  of  joy  and  transport,  but  in 
the  days  of  his  trouble,  when  the  stone  was  his  pil- 
low, the  ground  his  bed,  and  the  heavens  his 
canopy?  When  did  Stephen  see  the  heavens  open, 
and  Christ  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  but 
when  the  stones  were  about  his  head  and  ears,  and 
there  was  but  a  short  step  betwixt  him  and  eternity  ? 
The  plant  in  Nazianzen  grows  by  cutting,  lives  by 
dying,  and  by  cutting  flourishes  the  more  :  so  saints 
by  their  losses,  gain  more  experience  of  the  power 
of  God  to  support  them,  the  wisdom  of  God  to 
direct  them,    and  the  grace  of  God  to  refresh  them. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
the  afflictions  of  the  saints  only  reach  the  body. 


i 


' 


against  satan's  devices.  77 

Luke  xii.  4. 
Be  not  afraid  of  them  that  kill  the  body,  §c. 

The  afflictions  that  befal  the  people  of  God  reach 
their  worst  part,  but  touch  not  nor  hurt  their  noble 
part;  all  the  arrows  stick   fast  in   the  target,   they 
reach  not  the  conscience.     And  who  shall  harm  you 
if  ye   be  followers  of  that   which   is  good?     They 
may  afflict  you,   but  shall  never  harm  you.     It  was 
a   good    saying   of  an  heathen,  who  when  a  tyrant 
commanded  him  to  be  put  into  a  mortar,  and  beat- 
en to  pieces  with  an  iron  pestle,  cried  out,  "  You  do 
but  beat  the  vessel,   the  case,  the   husk  of  Anaxar- 
chus :  you  beat  not  me."     The  body  is  but  the  case, 
the  vessel  or  the  husk  ;  the   soul  is  the  man  which 
they  cannot  reach.     Socrates  said  to  his  enemies, 
you  may  kill  me,  but  you  cannot  harm  me ;  so  say 
the  children  of  God  to  their  afflictions,  crosses,  loss- 
es,  and  temptations,  you  may  kill  us,  but  you  can- 
not harm  us ;  you  may  take  away  life,  but  cannot 
take  away  our  God,  our  Christ,  or  our  crown. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous  are  short  and  mo- 
mentary. 

Psalm  xxx.  5. 

Weeping  may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  cometh  in 
the  morning. 

Those  light  afflictions,  which  are  but  for  a  mo- 

7* 


78  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

ment,  will  end  in  everlasting  joy.  It  is  but  a  very 
short  space  between  grace  and  glory  :  between  our 
title  to  the  crown,  and  our  wearing  the  crown  ;  be- 
tween our  right  to  the  heavenly  inheritance  and  our 
possession  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  What  is 
our  life,  but  a  shadow,  a  bubble,  a  flower,  a  post,  a 
span,  and  as  a  dream  in  the  night.  Luther  was  at  a 
loss  to  find  diminutives  to  express  its  shortness. 
The  prophet  (Isa.  xxvi.  20)  saith  it  is  but  a  little 
moment.  Athanasius,  in  his  misery,  said  to  his 
friends,  when  they  wept  over  him,  "  It  is  but  a  little 
cloud,  and  will  quickly  be  gone."  'Twill  be  but  as 
a  day  before  God  will  give  his  afflicted  ones  beauty 
for  ashes  ;  the  oil  of  gladness  for  the  spirit  of  heav- 
iness; before  he  will  turn  all  their  sighing  into  sing- 
ing, all  our  lamentations  to  consolations,  our  sack- 
cloth into  silks,  ashes  into  ointments,  and  our  fasts 
into  everlasting  feasts  :  these  all  work  for  us  a  far 
more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  joyfully  to  consider,  that 
all  afflictions  to  the  saints  proceed  from  God's  love 
to  them. 

Revelations  Hi.  19. 
As  many  as  1  love  I  rebuke. 

To  the  saints  God  saith,  think  not  that  I  hate  you, 
because  I  thus  chide  you.  He  that  escapes  repre- 
hension,  may  suspect  his  adoption.     God  had   one 


against  satan's  devices.  79 

Son  without  corruption,  but  no  son  without  correc- 
tion. A  gracious  soul  may  look  through  the  dark- 
est cloud  and  see  his  God  smiling  on  him  :  we  must 
therefore  look  through  the  anger  of  his  corrections 
to  the  sweetness  of  his  countenance ;  and  as  by  a 
rainbow  we  see  the  beautiful  image  of  the  sun's 
light  in  the  midst  of  a  dark  and  watery  cloud,  so 
the  love  of  God  to  the  soul  is  known  by  the  cloud 
of  affliction.  A  soul,  at  first  conversion,  is  but  a 
rough  cast ;  but  God  by  afflictions,  doth  square, 
and  fit,  and  polish  it  for  that  glorious  building, 
where  it  shall  appear  as  a  lively  stone,  growing  up 
to  an  holy  temple  for  the  Lord.  Therefore  afflic- 
tions spring  from  God's  love  to  the  soul,  and  can  be 
no  bar  to  holiness,  nor  any  motive  to  draw  the  soul 
to  the  works  and  ways  of  the  wicked. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  studiously  to  consider  that 
we  should  not  measure  the  afflictions  of  the  saints  by 
the  smart,  but  by  the  end  of  them. 

Genesis  xv.  13,  14. 

They  shall  come  out  with  great  substance. 

Israel  was  in  bondage  and  affliction  four  hun- 
dred years  in  Egypt ;  but  they  were  dismissed  with 
gold  and  ear-rings !  Israel  was  seventy  years  in  Bab- 
ylon, covered  with  sorrows,  but  came  out  with  gifts, 
jewels,  and  every  needful  thing  !  Look  more  at 
the  latter  end  of  a  christian,  than  at  the  beginning 


80  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

of  his  afflictions.  Look  not  at  the  beginning  of 
Joseph's  sorrows,  and  his  dreams,  but  behold  him, 
after  he  had  passed  through  the  sea,  set  upon  the 
throne,  and  made  ruler  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Consider  the  patience  of  Job,  and  what  was  the 
end  of  the  Lord  to  him.  Look  not  upon  David 
when  his  life  was  hunted  like  a  partridge  upon  the 
mountain,  but  behold  him  established  upon  the 
throne  of  Israel.  Look  not  at  Lazarus'  sores,  but 
at  his  sweet  repose  in  Abraham's  bosom.  Afflic- 
tions that  attend  the  righteous  ways  of  God,  are  but 
as  a  dirty  lane  to  a  royal  palace,  and  as  a  dark  en- 
try to  our  father's  house;  we  will  therefore  walk  in 
wisdom's  ways. 


against  satan's  devices.  81 


CHAP.  X. 

THE  TENTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  IS  BY  DEFILING  THE  SOULS  AND  JUDG- 
MENTS OF  MEN  WITH  DANGEROUS  ERRORS. 

1  John  iv.  6. 

The  spirit  of  error. 

How  numerous,  harmonious,  courageous,  and  ac- 
tive are  Satan's  faithful  subjects  to  sow  the  seeds  of 
error,  aided  by  their  great  lord  and  master,  in  his 
unwearied  attempts  to  destroy  the  souls  of  men  ! 
Satan,  by  polluting  and  defiling  the  souls  and  judg- 
ments of  men  with  dangerous  errors,  doth  ruin  thou- 
sands, who  are  ignorant  of  his  devices.  How  active 
is  Satan  in  spreading  all  manner  of  error  against 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  the  divinity  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  necessity  of  divine  teaching,  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  the  glory  of  heaven,  and  the  tor- 
ments of  hell ;  and,  with  a  plausible  pretence  to  pi- 
ety, through  affected  courtesy,  and  fawning  flattery 
and  smoothness,  entice  multitudes  to  spiritual  whore- 
dom ;  and  for  carnal  advantage  reject,  corrupt,  and 
misapply  the  oracles  of  God ;  and  with  shifts,  eva- 
sions, and  self-inconsistencies,  spoil  God's  vineyard, 


82 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


unsettle  weak  and  young  professors,  ruin  the  souls 
of  men,  and  promote  the  kingdom  of  darkness  ? 


The  precious  Remedies  against  Satan's  devices  to 
defile  the  soul  with  error  are  these : 

First.  To  consider,  that  an  erroneous  mind  is  as 
offensive  to  God  as  a  vicious  life. 

JUDE    11. 

Woe  unto  them  !  for  they  ran  greedily  after  the  er- 
ror of  Balaam. 

He  that  had  the  leprosy  in  his  head  was  to  be  pro- 
nounced utterly  unclean.  Gross  errors  make  the 
heart  foolish,  and  render  the  life  loose  and  the  soul 
light  in  the  eyes  of  God.  Error  spreads  and  frets 
like  a  gangrene,  and  renders  the  soul  a  leper  in  the 
sight  of  God.  It  was  God's  heavy  and  dreadful 
plague  upon  the  Gentiles,  to  be  given  up  to  a  mind 
void  of  judgment ;  a  mind  rejected,  disallowed,  and 
abhorred  of  God  ;  an  injudicious  mind,  and  a  mind 
that  none  have  any  cause  to  glory  in,  but  rather  to 
be  ashamed  of.  A  blind  eye  is  worse  than  a  lame 
foot.  The  breath  of  the  erroneous  is  infectious ; 
and,  like  the  dogs  of  Cango,  they  bite,  though  they 
will  not  bark.  To  persist  in  error,  in  the  open  face 
of  truth,  is  diabolical.  They  must  needs  err  who 
know  not  the  ways  of  God  ;  yet  can  they  not  wan- 
der so  wide  as  to  miss  of  hell. 


AGAINST    SATAN  S   DEVICES.  83 

The  second  Remedy  is,  to  receive  the  truth  affec- 
tionately, that  we  may  be  saved. 

2  Thessalonians  ii.  10,  11,  12. 

Because  (hey  received  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  $$c. 

Let  the  truth    of  God   dwell   in   us  plenteously. 
When  men  stand  out  against  the  truth,  and  bar  the 
door  of  their  souls  against  the  conviction  of  truth, 
God  injustice  gives  them  up  to  be  deluded  and  de- 
ceived by  error,  to  their   eternal  ruin.     Ah  !   souls, 
if  you  have  love  to  yourselves,  do  not  tempt  God  to 
give  you  up  to  believe  a  lie,   that  you  may  be  dam- 
ned.    There  are  no  men  on  earth  so  fenced  against 
error,  as  those  are  who  receive  the  truth  in  love.     It 
is  not  our  receiving  the  truth  into  our  heads,  but  the 
receiving  it  into  our  hearts,  that  can  give  us  the  hap- 
piness to  enjoy  clear   and    sound  judgments,  while 
others  go  on  deluded)    and  deceive  both  themselves 
and  others  with  the  errors  of  the  wicked  ;  until  all 
fall  into  the  dyke  together.     Oh  !   my  friends,  as  you 
would  not  have  your  judgments  polluted  and  defiled 
with  errors  concerning  your  temporal,   why  should 
you  suffer  yourselves  to  be  led  into  the  snares  of  the 
devil  concerning  your  spiritual  estate  f 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
error  is  without  profit  or  reward. 


84  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

1  Corinthians  iii.  11,  12,  13,  14,  15. 

The  fire  shall  try  it,  fyc. 

All  the  pains  and  labor  that  men  take  to  defend 
and  maintain  their  errors,  to  spread  abroad  and  in- 
fect the  world  therewith,  shall  bring  neither  profit 
nor  comfort  to  them  in  that  day  when  the  fire  shall 
try  every  man's  work,  of  what  sort  it  is :  then  all 
those  that  rise  early  and  go  to  bed  late,  that  spend 
their  time,  their  strength,  their  spirits,  and  their  all 
to  support,  advance,  and  spread  abroad  God  dishon- 
oring and  soul-ruining  opinions,  shall  find  that  they 
now  must  lose  all  the  pains,  cost,  and  charges  which 
they  have  been  put  to  for  the  propagation  of  their 
pernicious  errors.  Ah  !  sirs,  is  it  nothing  to  you 
to  lay  out  your  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread, 
and  your  strength  for  that  which  satisfieth  not,  nor 
can  profit  you  in  that  day  when  you  must  give  up 
your  accounts,  and  your  works  be  tried  with  fire  ? 
Caesar  loved  his  books  more  than  his  royal  robes : 
when  he  was  forced  to  swim  through  some  water, 
he  carried  his  books  above  it,  and  lost  his  robes. 
Ah  !   what  are  Caesar's  books  to  God's  book  ? 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  hate  and  re- 
ject all  opinions  that  are  contrary  to  real  godliness. 


against  satan's  devices.  85 

Psalm  cxix.   104. 

Through  thy  precepts  I  get  understanding,  therefore 
I  hate  every  false  way. 
To  abominate,  and  turn  from  all  those  doctrines 
and  opinions  that  are  contrary  to  godliness,  and  that 
open  a  door  to  profaneness  ;  and  all  such  doctrines 
and  opinions  that  require  men  to  hold  forth  a  stiffness 
above  what  the  scriptures  have  recommended  ;  and 
all  such  doctrines  and  opinions  that  do  advance  and 
lift  up  corrupt  nature  to  do  those  things  (of  them- 
selves) which  require  supernatural  power  and  grace; 
all  such  opinions  and  doctrines  which  establish  a 
righteousness  in  man,  contrary  to  the  righteousness 
of  God  ;  also  all  those  doctrines  and  opinions  which 
do  set  up  Christ  and  his  righteousness,  and  cry  down 
all  duties  and  holiness  in  believers;  and  finally,  all 
those  doctrines  and  opinions  that  are  designed  to  set 
the  soul  against  the  purity  and  spirituality  of  the  ho- 
ly law  of  God.  Thus  let  our  souls  arise  with  an 
holy  hatred  against  every  thing  that  sets  itself  against 
God  and  his  holy  word. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  cherish  a  lowly 
and  teachable  disposition  before  the  word  of  God. 

Psalm  cxix.   129,  130,  131. 
The  entrance  of  thy  word  giveth  light,  it  giveth  un- 
derstanding to  the  simple. 
A  teachable   disposition  to  the   divine    word   will 
keep  the  soul  free  from  many  devices  which  Satan 


86  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

casts  in  the  way  of  truth.     As  low  trees  and  shrubs 
are  free  from  many  violent  gusts  and  blasting  winds, 
which  shake  and   rend  the  taller  trees,  so  humble, 
teachable  souls  are  freed  from  those  gusts  and  blasts 
of  errors,  that  rend  and  tear  proud,  lofty,  and  con- 
ceited souls.     The  God  of  light  and  truth  delights 
to  dwell  with  the  lowly  and  teachable :  and  the  more 
light  and  truth   dwells  in   the   soul,   at  the  greater 
distance  must  darkness  and  error  be  kept :  and  the 
God  of  grace   pours  grace  into  the  humble  soul,   as 
we  pour  water   into   empty  vessels  ;  and   the  more 
grace  is  poured  into  the  soul,  the  less  error  shall  be 
able  to  overpower,  or  to  infect  the   principles  within 
the  soul.     The  highest  tide   quickly  ebbs,   and   the 
highest  sun  is  presently  declining ;  it  is  just  so  with 
all  high  and  exalting  notions  in  men,  who  set  them- 
selves to  pervert  the  way  of  life.     "  Though  I  can- 
not dispute  for  the  truth,  yet  I  can  die  for  the  truth," 
said  a  martyr. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
error  has  produced  great  evil  in  this  world. 

John  xvi.  2. 

Whosoever  killeth  you,  will  think  that  he  doeth  God 

service. 

Errors  in  judgment  and  conscience  have  produced 
infinite  evils,  not  only  in  men's  own  souls,  but  also 
in  human  affairs.     Error  is   a    fruitful  mother,  and 


against  satan's  devices.  87 

hath  brought  forth  such  monstrous  children,  as  have 
set  whole  towns,  cities,  nations,  congregations,  fami- 
lies, and  individuals  all  on  fire  and  in  confusion,  in 
former  days;  and  it  were  to  be  desired  that  in  our 
time  there  were  not  too  just  reason  to  complain  of 
monsters  in  religion,  that  think  they  do  God  service 
in  laying  waste  the  heritage  of  Jacob.  Oh  !  the 
graces  that  error  hath  weakened,  and  the  sweet  joys 
and  comforts  that  error  hath  clouded,  if  not  buried  ! 
Oh  !  the  hands  that  error  hath  shortened,  the  eves 
error  hath  blinded,  the  judgments  of  men  that  error 
hath  perverted,  the  hearts  that  error  hath  hardened, 
the  consciences  that  error  hath  seared,  and  the  souls 
that  error  hath  sent  to  hell !  Therefore  when  Satan 
would  deMle  and  pollute  your  souls  and  judgment*, 
by  dangerous  errors,  seriously  consider  the  loss  that 
must  inevitably  attend  a  compliance. 


88  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  XT. 

THE  ELEVENTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE 
SOUL  TO  SIN  IS  BY  WORKING  MEN  UP  TO  COMPARE 
THEMSELVES  WITH  THOSE  THAT  ARE  WORSE  THAN 
THEY. 

Luke  xviii.  n. 
God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men. 

Oh  !  saith  Satan,  though  we  must  ever  acknowl- 
edge that  there  wanteth  not  sin  in  the  best  of  men, 
and  although  your  sins  do  greatly  exceed  the  sins  of 
good  men,  yet  there  is  no  cause  for  any  distress  on 
that  head,  when  you  look  around  upon  the  thou- 
sands that  are  greater  sinners  than  yourself.  You 
are  no  extortioner,  nor  unjust,  nor  an  adulterer,  nor 
even  as  this  publican.  You  may  bless  God  that  you 
was  not  born  a  Gentile,  are  not  a  swearer,  a  drunk- 
ard, a  Sabbath  breaker,  nor  an  unclean  and  lustful 
man.  Why,  saith  Satan  you  swear,  but  petty  oaths, 
as  by  your  faith  and  troth,  &c.  but  you  know  that 
neighbor  such-a-one  swears  stoutly  by  his  God. — 
You  now  and  then  are  a  little  merry  :  but  such  and 
such  are  profanely  wanton.  You  may  deceive  and 
over-reach  in  things  that  are  but  toys  and  trifles  ; 
but  you  know  those  who  deceive  and  over-reach 
others   in  things   of  the  greatest  moment,   even  to 


against  satan's  devices.  89 

their  ulter  ruin  :  therefore  cheer  up,  you  are  not 
only  not  worse  than  your  neighbors,  but  you  are 
better  than  they. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of 
Satan  are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  for  a  person  to 
be  frequently  comparing  himself  with  those  that  are 
worse  than  he,  is  a  proof  of  hypocrisy. 

Matthew  vii.  5. 

First  cast  out  the  beam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  fyc. 

There  needeth  no  clearer  argument  to  prove  a 
person  a  hypocrite,  than  to  be  quick-sighted  abroad, 
and  blind  at  home;  than  to  use  spectacles  to  behold 
other  men's  sins,  rather  than  a  looking  glass  to  be- 
hold his  own.  I  have  read  of  some  artful  witches, 
who,  when  stirring  abroad,  would  put  on  their 
eyes,  but  when  returning  home  would  box  them  up 
again  :  so  applies  my  text.  Thou  hypocrite,  first 
open  thy  eyes  upon  thine  own  sins,  then  look  abroad 
if  thou  canst.  How  apt  are  such  persons  to  hold  their 
fingers  upon  other  men's  sores,  magnifying  and  ag- 
gravating them,  when  they  can  lessen  and  smooth 
their  own  to  the  eye  of  the  world !  Hypocrites 
pray  to  God  only  in  time  of  affliction  and  danger ; 
they  show  much  love  to  God,  to  religion,  when  pros- 
8* 


90  PRECIOUS   REMEDIES 

perity  smiles  upon  them  ;  they  are  more  for  out- 
ward ceremonies  and  human  traditions,  than  for 
pure  spiritual  worship :  they  are  open-eyed  to 
worldly  affairs,  but  blind  to  divine.  Oh !  my 
friends,  be  afraid  of  hypocrisy  :  oh !  buy  the  truth 
and  by  no  means  sell  it,  for  your  soul's  sake. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
the  sin  of  hypocrisy  is  difficultly  cured. 

LUKE  xii.  1;  2,  3. 

Beware  ye  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees. 

The  difficulty  of  a  cure  for  hypocrisy  lies  in  the 
sin  not  being  easily  discovered  by  men,  and  that  it 
does  not  expose  to  shame,  but  is  made  subservient 
to  many  carnal  ends.  For  what  man  can  dive  into 
the  depth  of  the  human  heart,  and  there  discern  be- 
tween the  paint  of  hypocrisy  and  the  life  of  holi- 
ness ?  And  besides  this,  hypocrisy  can  turn  the  ve- 
ry means  of  salvation  into  poison,  to  the  persons 
who  use  them  ;  for  the  frequent  exercise  of  religious 
duties,  which  is  the  means  of  sanctifying  and  saving 
others,  the  same  means  confirm  and  harden  hypo- 
crites. The  effectual  means  to  cure  hypocrisy,  is  a 
solemn  and  steadfast  belief  of  the  pure  and  all-see- 
ing eye  of  God,  who  sees  sin  wherever  it  is,  and 
will  bring  it  into  judgment.  An  hypocrite  may 
hide  his  sins  from  the  eyes  of  others,  and  sometimes 
from  his  own  conscience,  but  can  never  impose  upon 


91 

God:  therefore  the  steadfast  belief  of  the  truth  will 
cause  frequent  and  solemn  thoughts  of  God,  and  in- 
cite you  to  look  up  to  him  as  your  inspector,  and 
judge. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  spend  more 
time  in  comparing  ourselves  with  the  scriptures. 

John  v.  39. 

Search  the  scriptures,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have 
eternal  life. 

To  spend  more  time  in  comparing  ourselves  both 
internal  and  external,  with  the  divine  rule,  we  should 
find  a  remedy  sufficiently  powerful  against  this  de- 
vice of  Satan.  That  man,  who  by  comparing  him- 
self with  others  that  are  worse  than  he  is,  may  seem, 
to  himself  and  to  others,  to  be  an  angel,  yet,  by 
searching  the  scriptures,  and  comparing  himself 
with  the  word  that  shall  judge  him  at  the  last,  will 
see  himself  to  be  like  the  devil  ;  for  the  nearer  we 
draw  to  the  world,  the  more  we  stir  up  the  vermin 
that  lurk  within  the  heart.  The  more  steadfast  a 
person  looks  upon  the  face  of  the  sun,  the  less  beau- 
ty and  perfection  he  sees  below.  It  is  said  of  the 
basilisk,  that  if  he  looks  into  a  glass  and  beholds 
himself,  he  presently  dies  ;  so  will  sin  and  a  sinner 
in  a  spiritual  sense,  when  the  soul  looks  into  the 
glass  of  God's  word,  and  compares  himself  with  its 


92  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

purity.  Oh  !  that  you  and  I  may  see  what  mon- 
strous things  sin  and  our  hearts  are,  that  we  may 
die  unto  sin  and  live  unto  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  such  comparison  betrays  us  to  be  strangers  to 
God  and  to  ourselves. 

Job  xxii.  2t. 

Acquaint  thyself  with  him  and  be  at  peace. 

The  man  that  passeth  his  time  away  in  compar- 
ing himself  with  others,  and  strives  to  quiet  his  con- 
science with  his  neighbor's  sins  being  greater  than 
his,  giveth  sufficient  evidence  that  he  is  a  stranger 
to  God,  to  the  true  knowledge  of  him  in  Jesus 
Christ,  to  the  fear  and  love  of  God,  to  his  convert- 
ing grace,  and  to  his  nature,  offices,  righteousness, 
and  work  ;  a  stranger  to  the  way  of  peace,  life,  ho- 
liness, and  salvation  through  him  ;  to  faith  in,  love 
to,  and  communion  with  him:  a  stranger  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  in  his  divine  person,  in  his  work  of  re- 
generation, sanctification,  and  comfort  ;  and  a 
stranger  to  himself,  to  the  evils  of  his  own  heart 
and  life,  to  the  deceilfulness  and  exceeding  sinful- 
ness of  sin :  never  pricked  to  the  heart  for  sin  ; 
never  was  its  filthiness  discovered,  or  the  hardness 
removed ;  never  to  loath  himself  in  his  own  eyes, 


against  satan's  devices.  93 

or  to  renounce  his  own  righteousness,    and   to  cast 
himself  at  Jesus'  feet  for  mercy  and  salvation. 

The  fifth  remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
without  true  repentance,  and  the  pardoning  love  of 
God  to  us  in  particular,  we  shall  still  come  short 
of  eternal  life,  although  we  were  better  than  others. 

Ezekielxv'i.  63. 

Never  open  thy  mouth   any  more  because  of  thy 

shame,  when  I  am  pacified. 

The  soul  should  never  open  his  mouth  to  justify 
self,  nor  to  condemn  others  ;  but  like  a  true  peni- 
tent, be  silent  under  the  rod,  which  his  sins  have 
justly  deserved,  and  God  hath  inflicted,  in  wisdom, 
to  draw  his  soul  from  vain  conceit,  and  confidence 
in  his  moral  excellencies  and  comparisons  with  other 
men.  Divine  mercy  and  repentance  bring  down 
the  high  and  lofty  soul  to  submit  to  God  and  to  give 
him  glory  ;  yea  such  a  confusion  for  thy  sins  will 
cover  thee,  that  thou  wilt  readily  approve  the  word 
of  truth,  and  justify  God  in  that  description  of  thy 
own  heart;  and  thou  shalt  blush  at  the  remem- 
brance of  thy  own  secret  wickedness,  when  God 
shall  reveal  his  pardoning  love  and  mercy  to  thy 
soul,  in  the  day  that  he  is  pacified  towards  thee. 
Ah  !  sirs,  then  ye  shall  no  more  live  upon  compar- 
isons, nor  disparisons,  but  live  to  sound  aloud 
that  saving  love,  and  sing  that  bleeding  heart. 


94 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  those 
names  and  characters  which  Jesus  Christ  has  given 
to  those  who  are  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and  live  up- 
on comparisons. 

Matthew  xxiii.  1-— 33. 
How  can  ye  escape,  fyc. 

Whomsoever  they  may  be  that  would  find  a  rem- 
edy against  this  device  of  Satan,  let  them  but  attend 
to  the  scripture  names  and  characters  given  to  self- 
righteous  persons,  and,  in  particular,  consider  the 
chapter  referred  to  above,  and  they  must  certainly 
obtain  strong  convictions  of  the  danger  of  the 
temptations  presented  by  Satan  in  the  eleventh  de- 
vice to  draw  the  soul  to  sin.  It  is  not  safe  to  look 
upon  men  in  the  names  and  notions  that  they  set 
themselves  forth  by,  nor  the  flattering  titles  they 
assume  ;  our  Lord  still  calls  them  hypocrites,  blind 
guides,  fools,  whited  sepulchres,  serpents,  genera- 
tion of  vipers,  that  cannot  escape  the  damnation  of 
hell.  Do  not  tell  me  then  what  this  man  calls  him- 
self, or  how  you  account  of  him,  but  inform  me 
what  the  scriptures  say  of  him,  and  how  they  vindi- 
cate his  character.  As  Nabal's  name  was,  so  was 
his  nature  ;  and  as  those  men's  names  are  in  scrip- 
ture, so  are  their  natures  and  lives  before  God. 


AGAINST    SATAN'S    DEVICES.  95 


CHAP.  XII. 

THE  TWELFTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE 
SOUL  TO  SIN,  IS  BY  REPSESENTING  THE  GLORY  OF 
THE  WORLD. 

Luke  iv.  6. 

All  this  power  will  I  give  thee,    and  the  glory  of 

them. 

Satan  sheweth  the  beauty,  bravery,  and  glory 
of  the  world,  to  ensnare  and  win  upon  the  affec- 
tions of  the  soul  to  sin :  see,  saith  he,  all  this  con- 
sequence, riches,  glory,  and  honor  will  I  give  unto 
thee,  if  thou  wilt  but  love  and  follow  me.  It  is 
true,  this  took  not  with  Christ,  because  Satan 
could  not  find  matter  in  him  to  work  upon;  but  it 
is  not  so  with  us  ;  he  can  no  sooner  cast  the  golden 
bait,  but  we  are  ready  to  play  with,  and  nibble  at 
it ;  he  no  sooner  casts  out  the  golden  ball,  but  we 
run  after  it  to  the  loss  of  God  and  our  souls.  The 
beauty  of  the  world  soils  a  christian  more  than  the 
strength  of  it ;  the  flattering  sunshine,  more  than  the 
blustering  storm  :  for  in  storms  we  keep  our  gar- 
ments close  about  us.  Ah  !  the  time,  the  thoughts, 
the  spirits,  the  hearts,  the  souls,  the  duties,  and  the 
strength  that  the  inordinate  love  of  the  world  hath 
eaten  up  and  destroyed.     Where  one  thousand  are 


96  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

destroyed  by  the  world's  frowns,  ten  thousand  have 
fallen  by  its  smiles.  The  inhabitants  of  Nilus  are 
deaf,  by  reason  of  the  noise  of  the  waters ;  so  the 
world  rings  such  charms  in  men's  ears,  that  they  are 
deaf  and  blind  to  the  voice  and  ways  of  God. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Attentively  to  consider  the  impotence  and 
weakness  of  the  world. 

James  v.  2,  3. 
Riches  are  corrupted,  gold  and  silver  are  cankered. 

Alt  the  riches  and  glory  in  the  world  cannot  se- 
cure us  from  the  least  evil,  neither  are  they  able  to 
procure  us  the  least  desirable  good.  The  crown  of 
gold  cannot  cure  nor  prevent  the  head  ache;  the  vel- 
vet slipper  cannot  ease,  nor  cure  the  gout;  and  the 
jewels  about  the  neck  cannot  take  away  the  pain  of 
the  teeth.  The  frogs  and  plagues  of  Egypt  enter- 
ed into  the  houses  of  the  rich,  as  well  as  the  poor. 
Our  daily  experience  doth  testify,  that  all  the  riches 
in  the  world  that  men  enjoy  cannot  free  them  from 
the  least  diseases ;  nay,  what  may  seem  more  strange 
is,  they  cannot  keep  men  from  falling  into  the  great- 
est extremes  of  poverty  and  distress.  Look  at  the 
royal  picture,  Judges  i.  6.  and  mark   a  conqueror, 


against  satan's  devices.  97 

who,  having  taken  seventy  kings,  and  subdued  them 
to  his  own  pleasure,  forcing  them  to  gather  their 
bread  under  his  table,  with  their  fingers  and  toes  cut 
off,  is  himself  at  last  taken  and  brought  to  the  same 
poverty  and  misery  that  he  had  inflicted  upon  others. 
Let  us  then  remember  the  impotency  and  weakness 
of  all  the  world,  could  we  obtain  the  whole. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider  the 
vanity  of  the  world. 

Ecclesiastics  i.  2. 
Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity. 

This  our  first  parents  found,  and  therefore  called 
their  second  son  Abel;  that  is,  vanity.  Solomon, 
who  had  tried  these  things  again  and  again,  declar- 
eth  them  all  vanity.  It  is  a  sad  thing  to  see  how 
many  thousands  there  are  that  can  speak  with  Solo- 
mon, "  vanity  of  vanity,  all  is  vanity;"  yet  after  all 
this  can  follow  after  the  world,  as  if  there  were  no 
other  glory  or  felicity  but  what  was  to  be  found  in 
those  things  they  call  vanity.  When  Gilimex,  king 
of  the  Vandals,  was  led  in  triumph  by  Belisarius, 
he  cried  out,  "  Vanity  of  vanity,  all  is  vanity." 
Tell  me,  ye  who  say  that  all  things  under  the  sun  are 
vanity,  if  you  really  do  believe  what  you  say,  why 
you  spend  more  thoughts  and  time  on  the  world  than 
you  do  on  Christ,  heaven,  and  your  own  immortal 
souls?  .Why  do  you  neglect  your  duty  towards 
9 


98  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

God,  to  get  back  to  the  world  ?  Why  so  e3ger  and 
lively  in  the  pursuit  after  the  world,  and  so  cold  and 
backward  to  the  things  of  God  f  And  why  are  your 
hearts  so  glad  when  the  world  comes  in  smiling,  and 
so  sad  and  cast  down  when  it  frowns  upon  you  ? 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
the  riches  of  the  world  are  uncertain  and  incon- 
stant. 

1  Timothy  vi.  17. 
JYor  trust  in  uncertain  riches. 

Man  himself  is  but  a  dream,  a  generation  of  fan- 
cy, an  empty  vanity,  and  but  a  curious  picture  of 
nothing.  All  things  below  the  skies  are  transitory, 
and  as  hasty  as  a  strong  Torrent,  a  shadow,  a  ship,  a 
bird,  an  arrow,  and  as  a  post  that  passeth  by.  No 
man  can  promise  himself  to  be  rich  :  one  storm  at 
sea,  one  coal  of  fire,  one  false  friend,  one  unadvised 
word,  and  one  false  witness,  may  make  thee  a  beggar 
and  a  prisoner  all  at  once.  Where  is  the  glory  of 
Solomon?  The  sumptuous  buildings  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar ?  The  nine  hundred  chariots  of  Sise- 
ra  ?  The  power  of  Alexander  ?  The  authority  of 
Augustus,  who  commanded  the  whole  world  to  be 
taxed  ?  The  most  renowned  Frederick  lost  all,  and 
applied  to  be  made  but  the  sexton  of  the  church  he 
had  built !     Those  who    have  been   most   glorious 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICKS. 


HO 


and  excellent  in  things  of  this  life,  have  come  down 
from  all  with  loss:  as  Sampson,  for  strength  ;  Absa- 
lom for  beauty ;  Ashithopbel,  for  policy;  and  Ha- 
inan for  favor.  So  the  Chaldean,  Persian,  Grecian, 
Roman  ;  and  so  the  present  shakings  and  convul- 
sions, that  have  impoverished  and  laid  waste  ten  thou- 
sands.     Love  not  the  world. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  riches  of  the  world  are  dangerous. 

Deutrronomy  xxxii.  15. 
Jeshuran  waxed  fat,  and  then  he  forsook  God. 

That  the  great  things  of  this  world  are  very  hurt- 
ful and  dangerous  to  the  outward  and  inward  man, 
through  the  corruptions  of  the  heart,  is  too  plain  to 
be  denied :  they  often  swell  the  heart  with  pride, 
and  make  a  man  forget  God,  and  so  to  despise  the 
rock  of  his  salvation.  How  do  they  abate  our  love 
to  God,  to  his  people,  to  his  ordinances,  and  steal 
otir  spirits  from  sweet  communion  above !  And 
what,  alas !  what  deadness,  barrenness,  and  leanness 
of  soul  attend  the  love  of  the  world !  Henry  the 
second,  on  hearing  that  Mentz,  his  chief  city,  was 
taken,  blasphemously  cried  out,  "  I  shall  never  love 
God  any  more,  for  suffering  a  city  so  dear  to  me  to 
be  taken  from  me."  Henry  the  fourth  asked  the 
duke  of  Alva,  if  he  had  observed  the  great  eclipse  of 


100 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


the  sun  f  "No,"  said  the  Duke,  "I  have  so  much  to 
do  on  earth,  that  I  have  no  leisure  to  look  up  to  hea- 
ven." Ah!  would  to  God  this  were  not  true  of  too 
many  professors  in  these  days  :  for  the  love  of  mo- 
ney is  the  root  of  all  evil,  which,  while  some  have 
coveted  after  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and 
pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
true  happiness  is  not  to  be  found  in  any  worldly 
good. 

ECCLESIASTES    V.    10. 

He  that  loveth  silver  shall  not   be  satisfied   with 

silver. 

God  is  the  Christian's  chiefest  good.  True  hap- 
piness is  too  great  and  too  glorious  to  be  found  in 
any  thing  below  that  good.  The  glorious  angels 
and  spirits  above  (those  glittering  courtiers)  have 
their  felicities  and  blessednesses,  and  yet  have  they 
neither  gold,  nor  silver,  nor  jewels,  no,  nor  any  of 
the  beauty  and  bravery  of  the  world.  Real  happi- 
ness lies  only  in  our  enjoyment  of  a  suitable  good, 
a  pure  good,  a  total  good,  and  an  eternal  good  : 
God  only,  is  such  a  good,  and  therefore  God  only 
can  satisfy  the  soul  of  man.  Certainly  happiness 
lies  not  in  those  things  that  a  man  may  enjoy  here 
in   this  world  :  if  it  was  so,   then  a  man    might   be 


against  satan's  devices.   ,  101 

great  and  graceless,  with  Pharoah  ;  honorable  and 
damnable,  with  Saul;  rich  and  miserable,  with  Dives, 
&.c.  Philosophers  used  to  say,  that  he  was  never  a 
happy  man  who  afterwards  became  miserable.  Greg- 
ory the  Great  used  to  say,  *'  he  is  a  poor  man  whose 
soul  is  void  of  grace,  not  whose  coffers  are  empty  of 
money."  In  short,  had  there  been  the  least  real 
happiness  in  the  world,  then  should  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  have  enjoyed  a  large  portion  of  it  himself 
while  inthe  world,  and  he  would  have  granted  to  his 
people  the  glory  of  all. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is   solemnly  to  acquaint  our- 
selves with  better  riches  and  glory  than  the  world. 

1  Peter  i.  4. 

An  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undejiled. 

Let  but  heaven  be  our  object,  and  the  world  will 
soon  be  our  abject.  A  better  acquaintance  with, 
and  better  assurance  of  more  blessed  and  glorious 
tilings  above,  will  raise  up  our  spirits  to  trample  up- 
on all  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the  world.  The 
saints  of  old  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods, 
knowing  in  themselves  that  they  had  in  heaven  a 
better  and  more  durable  substance  ;  this  made  them 
count  all  the  glory  and  bravery  of  the  world  to  be 
too  poor  and  contemptible  for  them  to  set  their  hearts 
sjpon.  Luther  being  at  one  time  in  want,  a  noble- 
man, unexpectedly,  sent  him  a  large  sum  of  money, 
9* 


102  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

at  which  he  was  sorely  amazed,  and  cried,  "  I  feat 
that  God  will  give  me  my  reward  here,  but  I  protest 
I  will  not  be  satisfied."  The  main  reason  why  men 
dote  upon  the  world  and  lose  their  souls,  is  because 
they  are  unacquainted  with  the  great  rewards  of 
saints  above.  Oh !  did  we  but  live  in  communion 
with  God,  taste  more  of  heaven,  and  enjoy  more  glo- 
rious hopes  of  shortly  going  to  eternal  happiness, 
how  soon  should  we  have  this  world  under  our  feet  f 
When  Basil  was  tempted  with  money  and  prefer- 
ment, he  replied,  "  Give  me  money  that  may  last  for- 
ever, and  glory  that  may  eternally  flourish." 


against  satan's  devices.  103 


CHAP.  xin. 

AS  SATAN  HATH  HIS  DEVICES  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
TO  SIN,  SO  HE  HATH  HIS  DEVICES  TO  KEEP  THE 
SOUL  FROM  HOLY  DUTIES ;  AND  HIS  FIRST  DEVICE 
IS  BY  REPRESENTING  THE  DIFFICULTY  OF  PER- 
FORMING THEM. 

Numbers  xiiL  31. 

We   be   not  able  to  go  up. 

How  many  are  turned  against  the  duties  of  reli- 
gion, from  the  formidable  difficulties  that  Satan 
casts  in  the  way  of  performing  them  aright  ?  Oh  ! 
saith  Satan,  it  is  a  hard  and  difficult  thing  to  wor- 
ship God  :  thou  canst  not  pray  as  thou  shouldst ; 
thou  art  not  able  to  wait  upon  him,  nor  to  love 
him,  nor  to  walk  with  him,  nor  to  believe  on  him, 
nor  to  serve  him  as  a  true  worshipper  of  God 
should  ;  neither  art  thou  lively,  warm,  and  active 
in  communion  with  the  saints  as  thou  shouldst  be; 
their  souls  are  aeaJously  attached  to  the  service  of 
God  from  principle;  they  are  assisted  and  encoura- 
ged in  their  worship,  so  that  the  difficulty  is  remo- 
ved from  them,  and  it  becomes  a  delight  to  them 
to  draw  near  to  God,  ;  but  as  to  thee,  it  is  weari- 
ness and  dejection ;  therefore  it  would  be  better  for 
thee  to  give  up  and  neglect  those  ways  that  are 


104  PRECIOUS     REMEDIES 

neither  acceptable  to  God,  from  the  manner  thou 
performest  them,  nor  yet  a  pleasure  or  profit  to 
thyself,  in  performing  them.  Thus,  no  doubt, 
Satan  keeps  back  thousands  from  waiting  upon  the 
Lord. 


The   precious   Remedies    against  this    device    of 
Satan  are  these  : 

First.     Seriously  to  consider  the  necessity,   more 
than  the  difficulty  attending  divine  service. 

Job  xxiii.  10,  11,  12. 

/  have  esteemed  the  words  of  his  mouth  more   than 

my  necessary  food. 

Many  are  the  arguments  in  scripture  to  awaken 
us  to  a  sense  of  the  necessity  of  waiting  upon  God 
in  holy  ordinances  :  there  is  a  necessary  obligation 
by  creation,  by  providence,  and  by  redemption  ;  and 
our  souls  should  reason,  that  though  the  service  of 
God  should  be  difficult,  yet  it  is  exceeding  ne- 
cessary for  the  glory  of  God  to  keep  his  worship  up 
in  the  world,  and  for  keeping  under  sin,  Satan,  the 
world,  and  an  evil  heart;  for  the  strengthening  of 
weak  graces,  the  reviving  of  languishing  comforts, 
the.  keeping  clear  and  bright  our  divine  evidences, 
the  scattering  of  our  fears,  the  raising  of  our  hopes, 
the  gladdening  of  our  hearts,   and  for  the  stopping 


against  satan's  devices.  105 

of  the  mouths  of  the  ungodly,  who  are  ready  on 
all  occasions  to  take  advantages  to  blaspheme  the 
name  of  God,  and  to  reproach  both  his  people  and 
his  service.  Oh  !  let  us  then  never  leave  thinking 
upon  the  necessity  of  all  holy  duties,  until  our  souls 
are  lifted  up  far  above  all  the  difficulties  that  attend 
true  religion. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  will  make  his  service  both  easy 
and  delightful. 

Phillipians  ii.  13. 

For  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and 
to  do. 

Consider  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  will  make  his  own 
services  easy  to  his  people,  by  the  sweet  discoveries 
of  himself  to  their  souls,  while  in  his  service  ;  yea, 
you  shall  meet  with  God  who  is  goodness  itself, 
sweetness  itself,  beauty  itself,  strength  itself  and  glo- 
ry itself.  Will  not,  cannot  this  sweeten  his  service 
to  thy  soul,  and  give  thee  rest?  Isaiah  lxiv.  5. 
The  Lord  will  give  that  sweet  assistance,  by  his 
spirit  and  grace,  as  shall  render  his  service  joyful, 
and  not  grevious  ;  a  delight  and  not  a  burden ;  a 
heaven  and  not  a  hell,  to  believing  souls.  The 
confidence  in  this  divine  assistance  raised  up  the 
spirits  of  Nehemiah  far  alcove  all  the  difficulties 
aqd  discouragements  that  attended  him  in   the  work 


106  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

and  service  of  the  Lord.  Neh.  ii.  19,  20.  Ah  ! 
souls,  while  you  are  in  the  very  service  of  the  Lord, 
you  shall  find  by  rich  experience,  that  the  God  of 
heaven  will  prosper  and  support  you,  by  encoura- 
ging, strengthening,  and  carrying  you  through  the 
hardest  service  with  the  greatest  cheerfulness  of 
soul.  Remember  that  they  have  no  cause  to 
fear  who  have  Jesus  Christ  the  conqueror  on  their 
side. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  that 
Jesus  Christ  endured  far  greater  difficulties  for  our 
sakes. 

Hebrews  xii.  2.  3. 
For  consider  him,  <^c. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath  passed  through  a 
sea  of  blood,  a  sea  of  wrath,  a  sea  of  sin,  and  a 
sea  of  sorrow  and  misery,  for  our  good,  internal, 
external,  and  eternal.  Christ  did  not  plead,  this 
cross  is  too  heavy  for  me  to  bear ;  this  wrath  is  too 
great  for  me  to  lie  under;  this  cup,  which  hath  in 
it  all  the  ingredients  of  divine  displeasure,  is  too 
bitter  for  me  to  drink,  even  the  very  dregs  ;  no, 
he  pleads  not  the  difficulties,  but  resolutely,  cheer- 
fully, and  courageously  wades  through  all.  Za'ncri 
saith,  u  It  is  not  fit  that  the  members  should  be 
crowned  with  roses,  when  the  head  was  crowned 
with   thorns."      My  brethren,   if  this   consideration 


against  satan's  devices.  107 

will  not  raise  us  up  above  all  the  discouragement* 
that  Satan,  sin,  the  world,  and  our  own  evil  heart 
can  cast  in  our  way,  to  the  service  and  worship  of 
God,  I  am  greatly  afraid  that  nothing  else  can. 
A  soul  not  stirred  by  this,  nor  raised  and  lifted  up 
by  this  to  be  resolute  and  faithful  in  the  service  of 
God,  notwithstanding  all  difficulties,  must  be  a  soul 
left  of  God. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  the  difficulties  attending  the  worship  of  God 
are  only  to  the  outward  man,  and  not  the  inward 
man. 

2  Corinthians  iv.  16. 
For  which  cause  we  faint  not,  fyc. 

To  the  outward  man,  (which  may  be  cn'ied  the 
ignoble  part  of  a  saint,)  the  heavenly  exercises  are 
only  difficult  :  but  they  are  not  to  the  most  noble 
part  of  the  christian,  the  soul :  to  the  nobler  part, 
holy  duties  are  a  heavenly  pleasure  and  a  recreation. 
I  delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man. 
The  commands  of  Christ,  even  those  that  tend  to 
putting  out  of  right  eyes,  and  cutting  off 
right  hands,  are  joyous  and  not  grievous,  to  the 
inward  man.  A  saint,  so  far  as  he  is  renewed,  is 
always  best  when  he  sees  most  of  God,  when  he 
tastes  most  of  God,  when  he  is  highest  in  the  en- 
joyment of  God,  and  most  warm  and   lively  in  the 


108  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

service  of  God.  Oh  !  saith  the  inward  man,  that 
it  might  be  always  thus  and  thus  with  me  ;  then 
should  my  strength  be  as  the  strength  of  stones,  and 
my  flesh  as  brass ;  so  should  my  outward  man  be 
more  serviceable  to  my  inward  ;  and  though  this 
my  outward  man  must  decay,  still  should  I  say, 
Christ's  yoke  is  gracious,  pleasant,  and  a  profitable 
yoke  to  my  soul. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
there  is  a  great  reward  belonging  to  the  service  of 
God. 

Ecclestastes,  viii.  12. 
It  shall  be  well  with  them  that  fear  God,  fyc. 

There  is  a  great  and  glorious  recompence  attend- 
ing those  that  cleave  to  the  service  of  the  Lord  in 
the  face  of  all  difficulties  and  discouragements: 
therefore,  though  the  work  be  hard,  yet  the  wages 
are  great,  heaven  will  make  ample  amends  for  all ; 
yes,  one  moment's  enjoyment  in  heaven,  will  abund- 
antly recompense  you  for  waiting  upon  God  in  the 
open  face  of  difficulties.  Believers  that  would  hold 
on  through  all  danger,  must  look  more  at  the  crown, 
than  upon  the  cross  ;  more  upon  the  future  glory, 
than  their  present  misery  ;  and  more  upon  their  en- 
couragements, than  upon  their  discouragements. 
This  made  the  Apostle  cry  out,  in  all  his  difficulties 
m   waiting  upon  God,    We  know  that   we  have  a 


igainst  satan's  devices.  109 

building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens.  He  looked  for  a  house  that 
had  foundations,  whose  builder  and  maker  was  God, 
and  an  heavenly  country.  This  also  supported 
Jesus  Christ  through  all  his  sufferings  :  He  endu- 
red the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down, 

The  sixth  Remedy  is*  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
there  is  not  only  a  reward  for  keeping  the  service  of 
God,  but  in  the  present  use  of  it. 

Psalm  xix.  11. 

Great  reward. 

The  service  of  God  and  true  religion  is  a  present 
honor  and  reward  lo  the  righteous,  as  well  as  a  fu- 
ture glory  and  immortality.  Wisdom's  ways  are 
strewed  with  roses,  and  paved  with  joy  that  is  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory,  and  attended  with  that 
peace  that  in  the  present  state  passeth  all  under- 
standing to  carnal  men.  The  joy,  the  reward,  the 
rest,  the  peace,  the  content,  the  smiles,  the  income 
that  the  saints  enjoy  in  the  ways  of  God,  exceed  all 
the  delights  of  the  world,  and  more  than  balance  all 
the  difficulties  that  can  attend  the  faithful  perform- 
ance of  them  ;  yea  they  are  so  precious  and  glori- 
ous in  their  eyes,  that  they  would  not  exchange  them 
for  ten  thousand  worlds.  Ah  !  my  brethren,  if  the 
work  of  righteousness  be  peace,  and  the  effect  be 
10 


110  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

quietness  and  assurance  forever,  what  must  the  pay- 
day be,  when  Christ  shall  crown  his  saints  with  nev- 
er-tailing glory  and  blessedness;  and  shall  say  of 
them  to  his  Father,  M  Lo,  here  am  I,  and  the  chil- 
dren which  thou  bast  given  me  ;  let  them  be  with 
me  where  I  am,  to  behold  my  glory.' 


against  satan's  devices.  Ill 


CHAP.  XIV. 

THE  SECOND  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOtfL 
FROM  HOLY  DUTIES,  13  BY  LEADING  S0M£  'J  0  DRAW 
FALSE  INFERENCES  FROM  WHAT  CHRIST  1 1 A  :<  DONE. 

2  Peter  ii.  19,  20. 
They  promise   themselves  liberty,  fyc. — Are  the  ser- 
vants of  corruption. 

Oh  !  saith  Satan,  do  you  not  know  that  Christ 
has  done  all  for  you  ?  Therefore  there  is  nothing 
for  you  to  do  now,  but  to  believe  that  he  has  done 
all,  and  to  rejoice  in  this  finished  salvation  ;  for  he 
hath  perfectly  fulfilled  the  law,  satisfied  divine  justice, 
and  pacified  divine  anger;  and  you  are  justified 
from  all  things,  from  which  you  never  could  have 
been  justified  by  the  law  of  Moses  :  and  he  is  now 
gone  into  heaven  to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  and  to 
intercede  for  you,  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  There- 
fore away  with  all  those  legal  preachers,  who  would 
bring  you  into  bondage  again  to  works  and  to  du- 
ties, since  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteous- 
ness to  every  one  that  believeth ;  away  with  all  that 
praying,  mourning,  and  hearing  and  repenting  be- 
fore men  for  your  sins ;  you  do  not  need  these  out- 
ward services ;  ihey  are  designed  for  young  proles- 


112  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

sors,  and  those  who  cannot  believe,  and  rely  upon 
Christ,  without  so  many  frames  and  feelings.  Ah  ! 
what  a  world  of  professors  hath  Satan  deceived  with 
this  device,  and  drawn  them  from  the  use  of  the 
means,  under  false  notions. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Carefully  to  consider,  that  it  is  our  duty 
to  love  and  obey  those  scriptures  that  point  out  our 
duty  to  God,  as  well  as  those  scriptures  that  declare 
the  precious  obedience  of  Christ,  he.  he. 

1  Corinthians  xv.  58. 
Abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord. 

To  dwell  as  much  upon  those  scriptures  that  shew 
you  the  duties  that  Christ  requires  of  you,  as  upon 
those  that  represent  the  glorious  satisfaction  of  Christ,. 
It  is  a  sad  and  dangerous  thing  to  have  two  eyes  to 
behold  the  dignity  and  perfection  of  the  doctrines  of 
grace,  and  not  one  to  see  the  honorable  paths  of 
righteousness  and  peace,  to  walk  therein.  I  would 
look  with  one  eye  upon  the  excellent  obedience  of 
Christ,  to  raise  my  heart  to  love  him  with  the  purest 
affection,  and  to  rejoice  in  him  with  the  strongest  joy, 
and  lift  up  Christ  as  my  Lord  above  all  in  the  sin- 
ner's salvation,  and  give  him  all  the  glory  ;  and  with 


against  satan's  devices.  113 

the  other  eye  1  would  look  upon  those  services  and 
duties  that  are  required  of  me  as  evidence  of  my  be- 
ing a  child  of  God,  and  as  testimonials  of  my  believ- 
ing- in  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  with  a  heart  unto 
righteousness.  Tertullian  saith,  "  I  adore  the  ful- 
ness of  the  scriptures."  Gregory  calls  the  scriptures, 
the  heart  and  soul  of  God  :  and  I  will  say  that  they 
are  the  whole  of  a  Christian. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
the  glorious  merits,  &c.  of  Christ,  are  the  strongest 
motives  to  holy  obedience  that  the  scriptures  make 
use  of. 

2  Corinthians  vii.  ]. 

Having  these  promises,  let  us  cleanse    ourselves,  Sfc. 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God. 

The  great  and  glorious  obedience  of  Christ  should 
be  so  far  from  taking  us  off  from  religious  services, 
that  it  should  be  the  greatest  motive  and  the  noblest 
argument  to  enforce  the  performance  of  them.  Jesus 
Christ  hath  freed  you  from  all  your  enemies,  from 
the  curse  of  the  law,  the  predominant  and  damnato- 
ry power  of  sin,,  the  wrath  of  God,  the  sting  of  death, 
and  the  torments  of  hell.  But  what  is  the  end  and 
design  of  Christ  in  doing  all  these  things  for  us  ? 
Surely  it  cannot  be  to  free  you  from  all  obligation 
to  the  law  of  righteousness  and  faith ;  but  to  conr 
strain  you  to  love,  that  your  hearts  may  be  the  more 
10* 


114  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

free,  and  sweetly  engaged  in  all  holy  duties.  Christ! 
hath  therefore  broken  the  devil's  yoke  from  off  our 
necks,  that  his  Father  might  have  better  service  from 
our  hearts.  Ah  !  sirs,  I  know  no  such  arguments 
to  move  you  to  a  lively  and  constant  performance  of 
divine  service,  like  those  that  are  drawn  from  the 
great  and  glorious  things  that  Christ  hath  done  for 
you  ;  and  if  such  motives  will  not  win  upon  you  to 
be  diligent  and  lively  in  the  ways  of  God,  I  do  be- 
lieve, that  if  all  the  terrors  of  hell  were  let  loose  up- 
on you  they  could  not. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
all  the  holy  prophets,  apostles,  and  saints  of  old 
were  exceedingly  active  and  lively  in  the  duties  of 
religion. 

Hebrews  xii.  1. 
Wherefore,  seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with 
so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  mn,  §-c. 

Those  pious  souls  who  believed  in  Jesus,  and  had 
taken  rest  under  the  shadow  of  his  wing,  were  ex- 
ceedingly active  and  zealous  for  the  performance  of 
good  works ;  they  prayed,  praised,  and  meditated 
more  on  God's  law  than  David:  the  same  may  I  say 
of  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  Job,  Daniel,  and 
all  the  prophets.  And  who  more  attentive  and  holy 
in  all  conversation  and  godliness,  than  the  apostles  ? 
Have  not  all  those  worthies   abounded   in  works  of 


against  satan's  devices.  115 

righteousness  and  peace,  to  the  praise  of  the  free 
grace  of  God?  Certainly  Satan  hath  got  the  mas- 
tery over  such  souls  that  can  argue  thus :  Christ 
hath  done  such  and  such  things  that  are  glorious  and 
complete  in  themselves,  and  can  want  nothing  in  or 
from  us,  to  render  them  more  acceptable  to  God  ; 
therefore  we  need  not  be  so  much  concerned  for  out- 
ward duties,  nor  trouble  our  consciences  so  much 
about  ordinances,  for  they  are  no  ways  essential  nor 
meritorious,  for  Christ  is  all  and  in  all  to  his  church. 
What  would  the  apostles  and  prophets  of  our  Lord 
have  said  unto  such  ?  Surely  they  would  blush  to 
look  upon  such  souls,  and  would  turn  away  from 
them  as  sensual  men  ;  men  not  having  the  spirit  of 
God. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
there  can  be  no  true  faith  in,  nor  reliance  upon  Jesus 
Christ  for  salvation,  without  evidences. 

1  John  iii.  7,   10. 
In  this  the  children  of  God  are  manifest. 

Such  persons  that  do  not  walk  in  ways  of  right- 
eousness and  peace,  that  do  not  wait  upon  God  in  the 
several  appointed  duties  that  God's  most  holy  word 
points  out,  cannot  have  that  evidence  to  their  own 
souls  of  their  acceptance  before  God,  their  fellowship 
and  communion  with  God,  and  of  their  blessedness 
here  and  happiness  hereafter,  which  those  souls  have 


116  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

that  love  and  delight  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord.  Da- 
vid's daughters  were  known  by  their  garments  of  di- 
vers colors  ;  st)  are  God's  children  known  by  their 
piety  and  attachment  to  the  house  of  God.  It  is 
one  thing  to  judge  ourselves  by  our  graces,  and 
another  thing  to  rest  upon  them ;  for  there  must  be  a 
irreat  difference  between  declaring  ourselves  to  be 
ilie  children  of  God  by  evidences  in  fruit,  and  our 
meriting  by  doing.  Christianity  is  not  a  talking,  but 
a  walking  with  God.  To  look  after  holy  and  hea- 
venly works  is  the  best  way  to  preserve  our  souls 
from  being  deceived  and  deluded  by  Satan,  or  by 
sudden  flashes  of  joy  and  comfort,  or  to  a  dry  no- 
tional belief  of  the  gospel ;  fruits  of  good  works  be- 
ing a  more  sensible  and  constant  pledge  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  a  most  solemn  and  clear  manifestation  of 
the  sons  of  God,  while  the  contrary  is  a  stubborn  evi- 
dence of  the  children  of  the  devil. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  thai 
saints  are  not  esteemed  for  the  number  of  duties,  but 
for  the  manner  and  end  (or  design)  of  them. 

Galatians  v.  25. 
If  we  live  in  the  spirit,  let  vs  also  walk  in  the  spirit. 

There  are  other  choice  and  glorious  ends  for  the 
saints  performance  of  good  works,  than  for  the  justi- 
fying of  their  persons  before  God,  or  for  their  satis- 
fying of  the  law  and  justice  of  God,  or- for  the  pro- 
curing of  pardon    for   sin,   he.  viz.  to  testify  their 


against  satan's  devices.  117 

justification,  to  testify  their  love  to  God,  their  sincere 
regard  to  his  will  ;  to  testify  their  deliverance  from 
the  power  of  sin  and  the  bondage  of  corruption  ;  to 
evidence  the  in-dwellings  of  the  spirit,  to  stop  the 
mouths  of  the  worst  men,  and  to  gladden  or  rejoice 
the  souls  of  the  righteous,  who  were  sad.  These, 
and  abundance  of  other  choice  and  precious  ends  and 
designs,  move  the  children  of  God  to  a  constant  and 
lively  attendance  on  the  worship  of  God,  and  to  keep 
close  to  all  holy  duties  commanded  by  Jesus  Christ. 
It  is  a  precious  truth,  and  ought  never  to  be  forgot- 
ten, that  duties  are  to  be  esteemed  not  by  their  acts, 
but  by  their  ends  ;  and  the  end  moves  to  doing. 
The  motto  of  Maximilian  is  worthy  of  imitation : 
"  Keep  thyself  within  the  compass,  and  have  an  eye 
always  to  the  end  of  thy  life  and  actions."  My 
brethren,  if  these  considerations  will  not  prevail  with 
you  to  wait  upon  God,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  say  what 
would, 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  true  use  of  the  means  of  grace  leads  the  soul  to 
rest  in  Christ. 

John  vi.  68. 

To  whom  should  we  go  ?     Thou  hast  the  words  of 

eternal  life. 

The  exercise  of  grace  in  the  true  use  of  the  du- 
ties pf  religion,  is  like  the  star  that  leads  to  Christ. 


118  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

That  wisdom  which  a  believer  hath  from  Christ, 
Jeads  him  in  the  use  of  all  means  to  centre  in  the 
wisdom  of  Christ :  and  that  love  the  soul  hath  from 
Christ  in  the  means,  leads  him  to  rest  in  his  love  to 
Christ ;  and  that  righteousness  the  soul  hath  from 
Christ,  constrains  the  soul  to  confide  in  his  righteous- 
ness for  justification.  True  grace  is  a  beam  of 
Christ,  and  where  that  is,  it  will  naturally  draw  the 
soul  to  rest  alone  in  Christ  on  all  works  and  duties. 
The  streams  naturally  lead  to  the  fountain ;  the 
effect  to  the  cause  :  so  a  true  use  of  the  means  of 
grace  doth  more  forcibly  draw  the  soul  to  rest  in 
Christ.  But  temporary  grace,  restraining  grace,  and 
jnorality,  only  lead  the  soul  to  rest  in  acts  and  duties 
or  centre  in  the  creature :  such  souls  have  their  re- 
ward, but  not  from  Christ. 


against  satan's  devices.  119 


CHAP.  XV. 

THE  THIRD  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
FROM  HOLY  DUTIES,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING  THE  PAU- 
CITY AND  POVERTY  OF  THOSE  THAT  WALK  IN  THEM. 

John  vii.  47,  48,  49. 
Are  ye  also  deceived1?     Have  any  of  the  rulers  be- 
lieved on  him  9 

SAlTH  Satan,  look  into  the  world  amongst  those 
who  pretend  to  believe  on  Christ,  and  you  will  be 
satisfied  that  neither  the  Pharisees,  nor  rulers,  nor 
rich,  no,  nor  yet  the  scribes  nor  learned  men  oi'  the 
age,  have  believed  on  him,  nor  walked  in  his  ways  ; 
but  this  poor,  weak,  and  ignorant  few,  who  are  not 
to  be  regarded.  If  there  was  any  thing  noble,  pro- 
fitable, and  praise-worthy,  you  may  rest  assured 
that  such  great  and  good  men  as  the  Pharisees,  and 
other  wise  men,  would  be  found  in  the  duties  and 
services  of  the  gospel ;  and  that  the  ways  of  reli- 
gion would  be  esteemed  by  the  great  and  more  ho- 
norable part  of  mankind.  There  can  be  no  real 
greatness  or  satisfaction  in  these  ways  and  practi- 
ces, that  so  few  and  so  poor  a  part  of  mankind  doth 
choose  to  walk  in  ;  and  therefore  consider,  that  you 
will  be  singular,  and  lose  all  your   comforts  in  life, 


120  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

if  you  associate  yourselves  with  the  poor,  weak  and 
ignorant  worshippers  of  Christ  in  this  odd  and  new 
mode  of  worship  :  and  besides,  your  grandfathers 
and  great-grandfathers  kept  at  a  proper  distance 
from  all  those  weak-headed  people ;  cleave  to  the 
mode  and  manners  of  your  noble  ancestors,  and  let 
them  take  their  course. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Deliberately  to  consider,  that  though  the 
saints  are  in  general  poor,  yet  they  are  rich. 

Luke  xii.  32. 
Fear  not  little  flock,  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleas- 
ure to  give  you  the  kingdom. 

What  though  the  people  of  God  should  in  gene- 
ral be  but  few,  and  poor  in  this  world,  yet  are  they 
inwardly  rich  :  poor  in  temporals,  but  rich  in  spirit- 
uals :  the  true  worth  of  the  saints  is  inward.  The 
king's  daughter  is  all  glorious  within.  What  though 
they  have  little  in  possession,  yet'  have  they  a 
glorious  kingdom  in  reversion :  though  they  have 
little  in  hand,  yet  have  they  much  in  hope.  You 
count  those  happy  in  the  world  that  have  much  in 
reversion,  though  they  may  not  have  great  things  in 
possession  ;  and  can  you  then  count  the  saints  mis- 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES. 

erable,  because  they  have  little  in  hand,   or  litil 
possession,  though  they  have  a  glorious  kingdoi 
reversion   of  this  ?     Chrysostom    saith,  that  "  pla- 
ces where  gold  or  treasures  are  hid,  are  rough,  and 
covered  with  thorns."     Naturalists  tell  us,  that 
mountains  that  are  big  with  gold  within,   are   poor, 
bare,  and  ill-looking    without.     So  saints,   to   the 
world,  look  a  poor,  despicable  few,  outwardly  ;  but 
within  are  big  with  true  riches  and  honor  :  and  they 
would  not  exchange  treasures  with  the  world  for  ten 
thousand  worlds. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
in  all  ages  God  hath  had  some  wise,  and  great,  and 
rich  men,  who  have  chosen  his  ways. 

2KlNGSxxiii.  21,  22. 
The  king  commanded  all  his  people  to  keep  the  pass- 
over. 

Although  not  many  wise  men,  yet  some  wise  men, 
and  though  not  many  mighty,  yet  some  mighty 
men  :  and  though  not  many  rich  men  yet  some  rich 
men  have  followed  Christ,  and  been  (bund  among 
the  despised  few  that  cleave  to  the  service  of  God  in 
the  open  face  of  difficulties.  Abraham,  Isaac.  Ja- 
cob, Job,  and  several  kings,  and  others,  that  are  re- 
corded in  the  scriptures,  were  all  righteous  men  of 
God,  and  loved  the  place  were  his  honor  dwelled, 
and  yet  were  noble  and  rich  in  this  world's  goo™ 
11 


122  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

Good  nobles,  saith  one,  are  like  black  swans,  and 
tbinly  scattered  in  the  firmament  of  a  state,  even 
like  stars  of  the  first  magnitude.  And  how  many  have 
we,  among  ourselves,  whose  souls  cleave  to  the  Lord, 
find  to  his  courts,  notwithstanding  all  the  poverty 
of  the  far  greater  part  of  the  saints?  But  call  to  re- 
membrance the  noble  army  of  martyrs,  that  have  swam 
to  the  service  of  God  through  seas  of  blood,  and 
who  have  not  counted  their  lives  dear  unto  them,  that 
they  and  others  might  enjoy  the  holy  things  of 
Christ,  according  to  the  word  and  will  of  God. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
the  riches  of  the  poorest  saint  exceeds  the  glory  of 
the  worldly  rich  man. 

l  Corinthians  ii.  9. 

Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man. 

The  spiritual  treasures  and  riches  of  the  poorest 
child  of  God,  infinitely  transcend  the  temporal  rich- 
es, honor,  and  glory  of  all  the  carnal  and  wicked 
men  in  the  world.  Spiritual  riches  satisfy  them 
that  possess  them  :  they  can  retire,  and  sit  clown 
satisfied  with  the  riches  of  grace  and  peace  that  are 
treasured  up  in  Christ  for  them,  as  sons  and  heirs 
of  God,  without  the  honors  and  riches  of  this  world. 
The  riches  of  poor  saints  are  durable  treasures;  they 
will  bed  and  board  with  them,  will  go  to  prison,  to  a 


AGAINST    SATAN  fl    DEVICES.  I2S 

sickbed,  to  the  grave,  yea,  to  heaven  with  them  ;  for 
they  can  never  be  parted  in  life  or  death,  in  sick* 
ness  or  in  health,  in  a  time  of  war,  or  peace,  and 
in  heaven  or  Iieli.  The  spiritual  riches  of  the 
saints  are  their  wine,  to  cheer  them  ;  bread  to  feed 
and  strengthen  them  :  clothes,  to  adorn  and  warm 
them  ;  and  armor,  to  protect  and  defend  them.  Now 
ask  yourselves  but  for  one  moment,  if  the  treasures 
and  glory  of  the  world  can  satisfy  the  soul  of  the 
possessor,  or  keep  him  rich  in  sickness  and  in  death, 
that  he  shall  thirst  no  more  in  his  soul  ? 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
though  the  saints  comparatively,  are  few  in  number, 
yet  are  they  without  number,  and  innumerable. 

Revelations  vii.  9. 
Which  no  man  can  number,  fyc. 

Although  the  flock  of  Christ  may,  to  a  carnal 
eye  appear  a  little  flock,  a  remnant,  a  garden  en- 
closed, a  spring  shut  up,  a  fountain  sealed  ;  though 
they  are  as  a  summer's  gleaning,  a  handful,  a  spark 
to  a  flame,  a  drop  to  the  ocean  ;  and  though  they 
are  but  as  one  of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  tribe,  consid- 
ered in  themselves  simply,  yet  are  they  an  innume- 
rable number,  that  cannot  be  numbered.  So  John 
speaking  on  this  subject :  M  After  this  I  beheld,  and 
lo  !  a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  could  number, 
of  all  nations,  and  kindred,  and  people,  and  tongues, 


124  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

stood  before  (he  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clo- 
thed with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands." 
So  saith  Matthew  :  "  And  I  say  unto  you,  that  ma- 
ny shall  come  from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit 
down  with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven."  And  so  Paul:  "  But  ye  are 
come  unto  mount  Sion,  unto  the  city  of  the  living 
God,  &c.  and  to  an  innumerable  company  of  an- 
gel?," kc.  When  Fulgentius  saw  the  nobility  ot 
Rome  set  mounted  in  their  glory,  it  mounted  his 
meditations  to  the  heavenly  Jerusalem.  What 
should  the  redeemed  throng  do  to  us,  but  mount  our 
souls  ? 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  so  consider,  that 
it  will  be  but  as  a  day  before  these  poor  despised 
saints  shall  shine  brighter  than  the  sun  in  his  glory. 

Matthew  xiii.  43. 

Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun,  <^c, 

[t  will  not  be  long  before  you  will  wish,  and  cry, 
"  Oh  !  that  we  were  now  among  the  poor,  mean, 
and  despised  sons  of  God,  who  are  numbered  among 
his  jewels."  Ft  will  not  be  long  before  these  poor  fee- 
ble saints  shall  be  lifted  upon  their  thrones,  to  judge 
the  multitude  of  the  world.  Ingo,  an  ancient  king 
Draves,  making  a  stately  feast,  appointed  his 
nobles,  at  that  time  pagans,  to  sit  in  the  hall  below, 
•,ma    commanded    certain    poor   Christians    to   be 


against  Satan's  devices,  12.5 

brought  up  into  his  presence  chamber,  to  sit  with  him 
at  his  table,  to  eat  and  drink  of  his  royal  cheer;  at 
which  many  wondering  and  murmuring,  he  said  that 
he  accounted  the  Christians,  though  never  so  poor,  a 
greater  ornament  at  his  table  than  his  nobles.  Just 
so  doth  God  esteem  them.  And  in  that  day,  oh  ! 
how  will  the  great,  the  rich,  the  learned  and  the 
noble,  wish  that  they  had  but  lived  and  spent  their  days 
with  those  few,  poor,  contemptible  creatures,  in  the 
service  of  the  Lord  !  Ah  !  how  will  this  wicked 
world  curse  the  day  that  ever  they  had  such  low  and 
base  thoughts  of  the  poor  saints ;  and  that  their 
poverty  became  a  stumbling  block  to  keep  them 
from  the  ways  of  God  ! 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
a  day  is  approaching,  when,  in  this  life,  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  reproach  from  his  ways. 

Revelations  xxi.  24. 

The  nations  shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it,  and  kings 

of  the  earth  shall  bring  their  glory  unto  it. 

The  Lord  hath  promised  great  and  glorious  days, 

and  that  the  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth  :  and  heaven 

and  earth  must  and  shall  pass  away,  before  one  jot  or 

tittle  of  his  word  shall  pass  unfulfilled.     Ah  !  poor 

saints,  now  some  thrust  sore  at  you,  others  shut  you 

out  of  doors,  others  look  shy,  and  turn  their  backs  on 

you,  because  of  your  poverty,    and   most   neglect 
11* 


126  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

and  forsake  you,  because  you  are  few  in  number  in 
the  world.  Doth  not  the  scripture  say,  that  the 
kingdoms  of  this  world  must  become  the  kingdoms 
of  our  Lord,  and  that  they  shall  be  given  to  the 
saints  ?  Hath  not  God  given  to  Jesus  Christ,  the 
heathen,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his 
possession?  Then  shall  the  saints  be  lifted  up 
above  the  dunghill,  and  change  poverty  for  riches, 
rags  for  robes,  reproaches  for  crowns,  and  infamy 
for  glory,  even  in  this  world.  Who  then  shall  dare  to 
open  his  mouth  to  speak  a  word  against  the  saints, 
or  reproach  the  ways  of  God?  For  the  mountain 
of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top 
of  the  mountains,  and  all  nations  shall  flow  into  it. 
Saints  pray  hard  for  these  delightful,  these  glorious 
days,  that  shall  roll  their  reproach  away. 


against  satan's  devices.  127 


CHAP.  XVI. 

THE  FOURTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE  SOUL 
FROM  WAITING  UPON  GOD  IN  THE  USE  OF  THE 
MEANS,  IS  BY  CASTING  A  MULTITUDE  OF  VAI> 
THOUGHTS  INTO  THE  MIND. 

Ezekiel  xxxviii.   10. 
Thou  shalt  think  an  evil  thought. 

Satan,  by  stirring  up  a  multitude  of  vain  thoughts 
whilst  the  soul  is  seeking  of  God,  or  in  waiting  up- 
on God,  in  the  use  of  the  means,  doth  so  take  6fj 
our  attention,  and  so  cool  the  affections  of  main, 
that  they  cry,  I  have  no  heart  to  hear,  no  heart  to 
pray,  no  heart  to  read,  and  no  heart  to  the  society  of 
the  saints,  he,  for  Satan  doth  so  closely  follow  mv 
soul,  and  cast  in  my  way  such  a  multitude  of  vain 
and  foolish  thoughts  concerning  God,  the  world,  and 
my  own  soul,  that  I  even  tremble  to  think  of  wait- 
ing upon  God  in  any  religious  service.  Oh  !  the 
vain  thoughts  that  I  feel  when  at  a  throne  of  grace, 
and  on  the  Lord's  day,  or  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
What  is  my  service  but  vanity,  and  a  vexation  to  rry 
own  soul  ?  And  I  am  so  distressed  and  perplexed, 
that  my  soul  is  even  weary  of  holy  duties,  yea,  of  my 
very  life.     Oh  !  I  am  not  so  raised,  ravished,  enlar- 


128  PRECfOPS    REMEDIES 

ged,  and  comforted  in  the  ways  of  God,  as  I  see  and 
hear  others  are.  Surely  there  is  no  person  so  troub- 
led .with  vain  and  wicked  thoughts  at  the  time  of  di- 
vine service.  If  I  were  a  child  of  God7  and  the 
ways  of  God  a  delight  to  me,  sure  I  could  not  be  so 
over-charged  with  the  enemy.  Alas  !  what  is  there 
that  Satan  will  not  do  to  hold  us  back? 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Humbly  to  consider,  that  our  hearts  should 
be  greatly  affected  with  the  glory  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty. 

2  Chronicles  vi.  18,  19,  20. 

But  will  God  in  very  deed  dwell  with  men  ? 

In  order  to  have  our  souls  lifted  above  vain  thotrs 
in  our  religious  exercises,  our  hearts  should  be  strong- 
ly affected  with  the  greatness,  holiness,  majesty,  and 
glory  of  God,  before  whom  we  stand,  and  with 
whom  our  souls  do  more  immediately  converse  in  re- 
ligious services.  Oh  !  let  your  souls  be  greatly  con- 
cerned with  the  presence,  purity,  and  majesty  of  that 
God,  before  whom  you  stand.  A  man  would  be 
afraid  to  play  with  a  feather  when  in  the  presence  of 
a  king.  When  men  have  poor,  low,  light,  and 
flighty  thoughts  of  God.  in  their  drawing  near  to  the 


129 

Divine  Being,  they  even  tempt  the  devil  to  bestir 
himself,  and  assist  them  with  a  multitude  of  vain  ami 
foolish  thoughts,  to  divert  their  souls  while  in  wait- 
ing upon  God.  There  is  nothing  can  contribute  so 
much  to  the  keeping  out  of  vain  thoughts  as  to  look 
upon  God  as  an  omnipotent,  omniscient,  and  omni- 
present God  ;  Jehovah,  full  of  all-glorious  perfec- 
tions, and  a  God,  whose  infinite  purity  will  not  suffer 
him  to  behold  the  least  iniquity.:  these  serious  con- 
siderations and  reflections  become  you,  when  you 
come  before  God,  in  his  worship. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider, 
that  the  soul  must  be  peremptory  in  waiting  upon 
God. 

Joshua  xxiv.  15. 
As  for  me  and  my  house  we  will  serve  the  Lord. 

A  full  purpose  and  resolution  to  wait  on  God, 
notwithstanding  all  those  vain  thoughts  that  wound 
and  trouble  the  soul.  This  would  be  a  sweet  help 
against  them,  saying,  "  Well,  I  will  pray  still,  hear 
still,  meditate  still,  and  keep  the  worship  of  God 
still,  let  my  own  wicked  heart  and  Satan  oppose  me 
never  so  much  with  vain  thoughts."  Many  precious 
souls  have  by  experience  found  that  when  their  spirits 
have  been  peremptory  in  waiting  upon  God,  Satan 
hath  left  them,  and  hath  not  tempted  them  so  much 
as  before;  when,   therefore,   Satan   finds  all  these 


130 


PRECIOUS     REMEDIES 


vain  thoughts  that  he  tempts  the  soul  with,  to  keep 
it  back  from  divine  worship,  do  but  vex  the  soul  into 
greater  diligence,  carefulness,  watchfulness,  and  a 
bold  peremptoriness  in  holy  and  heavenly  services, 
and  that  the  soul  loses  nothing  of  its  zeal,  piety, 
and  devotion,  but  rather  doubles  its  care,  diligence, 
and  earnestness,  he  ceases  to  interpose  with  his  tri- 
fles and  vain  thoughts  ;  and  thus  the  worshipper  of 
God  cometh  off  victorious  over  the  enemy. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
vain  thoughts,  if  resisted,  are  not  so  sinful  as  they 
may  be  painful. 

Romans  vii.  19. 
For  the  good  that  I  would  1  do  not,  fyt. 

Those  vain  and  trifling  thoughts  that  are  cast  into 
our  souls  when  waiting  upon  God,  if  they  be  not 
cherished  and  indulged,  but  abhorred,  resisted,  and 
totally  disclaimed,  then  they  are  not  sins  upon  our 
souls,  though  they 'may'  be  troubles  to  our  minds  ; 
they  shall  not  be  placed  to  our  account,  nor  keep 
mercies  and  blessings  from  being  enjoyed  by  us  in 
waiting  upon  God.  When  a  soul,  in  uprightness, 
can  look  God,  as  it  were,  in  his  face,  and  say, 
"  Lord,  thou  knowest  that  when  I  would  approach 
near  unto  thee  there  is  a  world  of  vain  thoughts 
crowding  upon  me  to  disturb  my  soul,  weaken  my 
faith,  lessen  my  comforts  and  spiritual  strength,  and 


against  satan's  devices.  131 

to  pollute  thy  holy  place  ;  but  these  are  my  clog,  my 
burden,  my  torment,  and  my  hell  :  oh!  do  justice 
upon  these ;  free  me  from  them,  that  I  may  serve 
thee  with  more  singleness  and  sweetness  of  spirit." 
Vain  thoughts  pass  through  the  best  of  hearts,  but 
are  lodged  and  cherished  only  in  the  worst :  hatred 
and  resistance  of  our  vain  thoughts  testify  the  sin- 
cerity of  our  souls  to  the  worship  of  God. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is  attentively  to  consider,  that 
it  is  a  great  duty  to  watch  against  vain  thoughts,  as 
they  are  inlets  to  greater  evils. 

Psalm  cxxxix.  23,  24. 

Try  me  and  know  my  thoughts. 

Watching  against  sinful  thoughts,  resisting,  la- 
menting and  complaining  of  vain  thoughts,  carries 
with  it  the  sweetest  and  the  strongest  evidence  of  the 
truth  and  power  of  grace,  and  the  sincerity  of  your 
hearts  :  and  it  is  the  readiest  and  most  certain  way  to 
be  delivered  from  them.  There  are  many  low  and 
carnal  considerations  that  will  move  a  man  to  watch 
his  words  and  actions  before  men  ;  but  to  watch 
the  thoughts  is  something  more  noble,  and  springs 
from  a  spiritual  and  internal  principle  of  love  to 
God,  a  holy  fear  of  God,  and  a  holy  care  and  de- 
light to  please.  Thoughts  are  the  first  born,  the 
blossoms  of  the  soul,  the  beginning  of  our 
strength,  whether  for  good  or  evil ;  and  they  are 


132  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

the  greatest  evidence  for  or  against  a  man  that  can 
be.  Grace  is  grown  up  to  a  good  degree  in  that 
soul,  where  it  prevails  to  the  subduing  of  vain 
thoughts ;  and  though  others  should  complain  that 
they  cannot  get  rid  of  them,  and  it  wanteth  not 
their  will  to  overcome  them,  but  they  have  not  the 
Dower  ;  still  watch,  and  still  make  resistance,  for 
htlp  is  nigh. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  the 
necessity  and  advantage  of  having  the  mind  stayed 
upon  God. 

Isaiah  xxvi.  3. 

Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is 

stayed  upon  thee. 

Labor  to  be  more  and  more  filled  with  the  fulness 
of  God,  and  to  be  enriched  with  all  spiritual  and 
heavenly  things ;  then  both  the  necessity  and  ad- 
vantage of  having  our  thoughts  stayed  upon  God,  ap- 
pears very  plain.  May  I  ask,  what  is  the  reason 
that  the  angels  in  heaven  have  not  so  much  as  one 
idle  thought  ?  Is  it  not  because  that  they  are  so 
taken  up  with  God,  and  filled  with  his  fulness,  and 
enriched  with  spiritual  and  heavenly  objects,  and 
there  is  not  the  least  room  for  vain  thoughts  ?  The 
more  full  a  vessel  is  of  wine,  the  less  room  there  is 
for  water,  &c.  The  more  you  keep  your  mind 
above  this  world,    and   stayed  upon   God,    in  the 


against  satan's  devices.  133 

contemplation  of  the  divine  goodness  and  beauty, 
the  more  shall  vain  thoughts  be  put  down  and  spoil- 
ed, so  as  not  to  be  able  to  lead  you  captive  as  here- 
tofore. Oh  !  then,  lay  up  much  of  God,  of 
Christ,  of  precious  promises,  and  choice  experience 
in  your  hearts  ;  then  shall  you  be  less  troubled  with 
vain  and  foolish  thoughts  that  break  your  peace,  and 
leave  you  in  sad  disquiet. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
to  keep  up  holy  and  spiritual  affection  in  the  soul, 
is  a  proof  that  we  hate  vain  thoughts. 

Psalm  cxix.  113. 

I  hate  vain  thoughts  :  but  thy  law  do  I  love. 

The  natural  affections  of  man  are  so  placed  that 
they  will  bring  upon  your  thoughts  that  will  require 
all  that  love  or  hatred  you  have  got,  with  or  against 
an  object.  The  lawful  business  of  the  world,  and 
your  calling,  will  crowd  in  a  multitude  of  vain 
thoughts,  when  in  the  worship  of  God  ;  and  this,  if 
you  are  sincere  in  your  soul,  you  will  say,  1  hate 
vain  thoughts,  but  thy  law  do  1  love.  But  souls 
that  are  torn  in  pieces  with  cares  of  this  world  will 
be  always  vexed  and  tormented  with  vain  thoughts  in 
their  approaches  to  God :  they  will  still  come 
crowding  in  upon  him  that  knows  but  little  else  than 
the  world  ;  so  that  he  will  be  in  the  full  pursuit  of 
12 


134  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

business  in  his  mind,  while  his  body  is  in  the 
house  of  God,  and  his  eyes  beholding  the  preacher, 
nay,  while  he  has  the  very  name  of  God  upon  his 
tongue.  What  we  most  love,  we  most  muse  up- 
on ;  what  we  most  hate,  we  keep  at  a  greater 
distance  from.  Oh !  that  you  may  hate  vain  thoughts 
and  love  God's  law. 


against  satan's  devices.  135 


CHAP.  XVII. 

THE  EiFTH   DEVICE  OF    SATAN  TO  DRAW  THE    SOUL 
FROxM  HOLY  DUTIES,  IS  BY  WORKING  THE  SOI 
REST  IN  THE  PERFORMANCE. 

Ezekiel  xxxiii.    13. 

If  he  trust  to  his  own  righteousness,  <Sj*c 

Thy  prayers,  hearing,  reading,  and  thy  com- 
munion, saith  Satan,  are  good  and  profitable, 
both  to  thyself  and  others  :  and  what  doth  the  Lord 
require  of  thee,  but  to  do  justly,  to  love  mercy,  and 
to  walk  humbly  with  thy  God  ?  And  now  thou  dost 
all  this,  in  that  thou  art  very  diligent  in  and  at  pray- 
er, reading,  hearing,  and  walking  with  God  in  the 
church,  chapel,  or  meeting,  making  conscience  to 
pay  thy  just  concerns,  and  relieving  the  poor  and 
needy  :  if  thou  art  not  right,  and  in  the  way  to 
heaven,  who  can  be  so  ?  Yea,  thou  seekest  God 
daily,  and  delightest  to  know  his  ways ;  thou  forsa- 
kest  not  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  but  delightest 
an  approaching  to  God,  and  accustoming  thyself  to 
fasting,  &c.  Thou  mayest  surely  rest  on  these  good 
and  excellent  performances,  as  there  can  be  no  tear 
that  thou  art  not  right,  and  in  the  highway  to  heaven  ; 
for  thy  prayers  and   thine   alms  must  go   up  before 


136 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


God,  and  speak  for  thee  against  the  great  day.  Thus 
Satan  is  for  any  hand  before,  either  for  your  neglect- 
ing or  resting  on  duties. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Patiently  to  consider,  that  in  our  best  ser- 
vices there  is  both  weakness  and  sin. 

Job  ix.  20,  21." 

If  I  say  I  am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse. 

Yes,  could  we  but  attentively  dwell  upon  the  im- 
perfections and  weaknesses  that  do  attend  our  choi- 
cest duties,  we  should  soon  fall  out  of  love  with  them, 
and  wonder  that  an  infinite  and  holy  God  could  bear 
with  patience  to  hear  and  see  our  services.  Oh  ! 
the  spots,  the  blots,  the  blemishes,  and  foul  stains 
that  are  to  be  seen  upon  the  face  of  your  fairest  du- 
ties. When  thou  hast  done  all  thou  canst,  thou  hast 
need  to  close  up  all  with  this  :  "  Oh  !  enter  not  in- 
to judgment  with  thy  servant,  O  Lord,  for  the  sins 
and  the  weaknesses  that  cleave  to  my  best  works." 
You  and  I  may  say  with  the  church,  "  All  our  right- 
eousness is  as  a  menstruous  cloth."  If  God  should 
be  strict  to  mark  what  is  done  amiss  in  our  purest 
actions,  we  are  undone  ;  for  whatsoever  we  do,  as 
of  ourselves,  is  but  perfect  weakness,  and  from  flesh 


against  satan's  devices.  137 

and  blood  ;  and  from  such  performers  there  is  pride, 
vain  confidence,  contempt,  neglect  of  Christ,  and 
robbery  of  God,  in  the  very  best  performance:  who 
then  can  rest  on  his  duties. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
our  best  duties,  of  themselves,  are  neither  able  to 
comfort  nor  to  save  the  soul  that  trusts  in  them. 

Judges  x.  14. 

Go,  and  cry  unto  the  gods  that  you  have  chosen  ;  let 

them  save  you. 

Let  your  souls  dwell  a  moment  or  two  upon  the  im- 
potency  and  inability  of  any  of  your  holiest  services, 
divinely  to  comfort,  refresh,  and  bear  your  souls  up 
from  fainting  and  sinking  in  the  days  of  adversity 
:md  sorrow,  when  darkness  and  guilt  is  upon  them, 
and  the  Lord  shall  seem  to  be  withdrawn,  and  the 
world  shall  frown  upon  you.  Can  your  duties  give 
you  peace,  and  satisfy  the  soul  hi  such  a  season  of 
distress,  when  God  shall  say  to  you,  (as  in  the  text,) 
in  the  days  of  your  calamity,  as  he  did  to  Israel, 
"  Go  and  cry  unto  the  gods  that  you  have  chosen  ; 
let  them  save  you  in  the  time  of  your  tribulation." 
Go  to  your  prayers,  to  your  hearing,  to  your  fasting, 
to  your  alms,  &ic.  and  let  them  help  you,  if  they  can 
support  you,  if  they  can  deliver  you.  Nay,  if  God 
doth  but  withhold  the  influences  of  his  grace  from 
thee,  thy  former  services  will  be  but  poor  dry  breasts 
12* 


158  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

unto  thy  soul  :  then  shouldest  thou  cry  out,  "  Oh, 
none  but  Christ !  None  but  Christ !  Oh  !  ray  pray- 
ers are  not  like  Christ :  one  glimpse  of  Christ,  one 
smile  from  Christ,  in  the  days  of  my  trouble,  will 
refresh,  restore,  and  revive  my  soul  again.  Return 
unto  thy  rest,  O  my  soul." 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  soul  is  infinitely  precious. 

Psalm  xlix.  8. 

For  the  redemption  of  the  soul  is  precious. 

Seriously  consider  the  worth  and  excellency  of  thy 
immortal  soul  :  it  is  a  jewel  of  more  value  than  hea- 
ven and  earth  ;  and  the  loss  of  thy  soul  is  incompar- 
able, irreparable,  and  irrecoverable  :  if  that  be  lost, 
all  is  lost,  and  thou  art  undone  forever.  It  will  be 
no  matter  to  thee  at  last,  whether  thy  soul  perished 
through  the  neglect  of  duties,  or  for  resting  on  them 
as  thy  saviours,  if  thou  dost  perish.  The  true  esti- 
mate of  thy  soul  may  be  obtained  from  the  counsels 
and  conduct  of  God  in  the  great  doctrines  of  re- 
demption and  grace,  wherein  thou  mayest  learn  the 
dignity  and  the  immortality  of  thy  soul;  the  wisdom, 
love,  and  good-will  of  God  towards  thy  soul ;  the 
infinite  love,  grace,  and  condescension  of  the  adora- 
ble person  of  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  who 
clothed  himself  in  flesh  to  redeem  thy  soul  from 
death   and   hell ;  the  infinite  merit  of  his  blood  to 


against  satan's  devices.  139 

pardon  thy  soul ;  and  the  excellency  of  his  right- 
eousness, which  alone  can  justify  thy  soul  ;  and  the 
infinite  power,  grace,  and  peace  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
to  sanctify  and  preserve  thy  soul  from  sin,  that  thou 
shouldest  live  and  reign  forever  with  God.  Rest 
not  thy  precious  soul,  therefore,  on  duties. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
they  who  trust  and  warm  themselves  with  these  du- 
ties, must,  at  last,  lie  down  in  sorrow. 

Isaiah  1.  11. 

Behold,  all  ye  that  kindle  afire. 

Surely  the  good  things  we  do,  become  evil  things, 
if  we  rest  our  souls  on  them ;  and  any  duty  or  du- 
ties that  we  rest  upon,  will  as  certainly  undo  us,  and 
everlastingly  destroy  our  souls,  as  the  greatest  enor- 
mities in  life  :  yea,  those  souls,  that  after  they  have 
done  all,  do  not  look  up  to  Christ,  and  rest  and  cen- 
tre upon  him  alone,  casting  all  their  services  at  the 
footstool  of  Christ,  must  lie  down  in  sorrow,  and 
make  their  bed  in  hell ;  not  that  the  path  of  duty  is 
designed  to  become  a  snare  to  the  soul,  or  that  there 
can  be  an  evil  in  the  performance  of  duty  :  no,  no  ; 
the  evil,  the  snare  lies  in  the  heart,  and  in  its  resting 
upon  these  to  comfort  and  save  the  soul  as  if  they 
were  the  bosom  of  Christ,  which  is  the  centre  of  ev- 
ery pious  soul.  I  love  the  pipe  that  conveys  the  wa- 
ter, but  my  soul  is  refreshed  with  drinking  the  run- 


140  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

ning  waters  in  the  pipe  :  so  the  ordinances  of  God 
are  pipes  conveying  spiritual  waters ;  Christ  and  his 
salvation  runs  through  them  all ;  Christ  is  the  crown 
of  crowns,  the  glory  of  glories,  the  heaven  of  hea- 
vens, and  the  duty  of  all  duties. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
:  has  provided  the  soul  a  resting  place. 

Matthew  xi.  28,29. 
Come  unto  me,  fyc.  I  will  give  you  rent. 

Let  us  reflect,  with  growing  pleasure,  upon  both 
the  necessity  and  excellency  of  that  resting  place 
which  God  hath  provided  for  the  souls  above  all  oth- 
ers. Jesus  Christ  is  the  resting  place  for  every  poor, 
needy,  weary,  and  heavy  laden  sinner;  and  there 
can  be  no  other  found  under  heaven  for  the  precious 
souls  of  men  to  rest  upon.  His  infinite  person,  his 
rich  and  free  mercy,  his  unchangeable  love,  his  pure, 
glorious,  matchless,  and  spotless  righteousness,  and 
his  infinitely  precious  and  invaluable  blood,  are  our 
resting  places.  Poor  soul  !  dost  thou  not  see  God's 
hiding  place  for  the  laboring  soul  ?  Art  thou  wan- 
dering from  mountain  to  hill,  from  one  duty  to  anoth- 
er, and  here  and  there  taking  up  thy  rest,  as  was  the 
case  with  the  Jews  ?  Jeremiah  lx.  6.  "  They  have 
forgotten  their  resting  place."  Come,  now,  let  me 
lead  thee  to  the  place  where  thy  soul  shall  find  rest  : 
Christ  alone   can  crive   thee  rest  from  that  law  and 


against  satan's  devices.  141 

covenant  that  commands,  but  giveth  no  strength  to 
obey  j  from  that  stinging  conscience  which  informs 
thee  to  do,  but  cannot  rest  satisfied  in  the  deed. 
Hear,  oh  !  hear  my  text,  speaking  rest  internal  and 
external,  temporal  and  spiritual,  in  time  and  through 
eternity. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
duties  are  like  the  manna,  appointed  to  feed  the 
soul  in  the  use  of  them,  but  become  a  curse  if  trusted 
to. 

Exodus  xvi.  20. 
It  bred  worms,  and  stank. 

The  grand  end  and  design  of  this  manna  was  to 
teach  them  Christ  and  his  salvation,  that  they  should 
live  upon  him,  and  on  his  providence  :  so  the  glori- 
ous end  and  design  of  the  gospel,  and  its  or- 
dinances, is  to  lead  the  soul  to  Christ.  This  deli- 
cious food,  wherewith  God  fed  the  Israelites  in  the 
desarts  of  Arabia,  was  a  little  grain,  white,  like  hoar- 
frost, it  was  round,  and  in  size  like  coriander  seed  ; 
it  fell  every  day,  in  great  quantities,  round  the  camps 
of  the  Israelites,  for  forty  years,  and  fed  a  million 
of  souls  daily :  those  that  gathered  much  had  noth- 
ing over,  and  those  that  gathered  less  had  no  lack  or 
want ;  nothing  of  it  was  to  remain  until  to-morrow, 
or  to  be  trusted  to  as  food  for  another  day,  to  lead 
them  to  rest  inGod  alone  :  but  Israel  disobeyed  the 
voice  of  the  Lord,  and  treasured  up,  and  rested  up- 


142  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES* 

on  having  bread  for  the  next  day :  the  Lord  was 
displeased,  and  the  manna  proved  a  snare,  and 
stank  and  bred  worms,  and  was  a  curse  unto  them. 
So  you  have  the  hidden  manna,  to  eat  under  the  gos- 
pel, in  the  camps  round  about  the  dwellings  of  Isra- 
el, which  shall  refresh  and  feed  the  thousands  and  ten 
thousands  of  God's  children ;  but  if  you  rest  in 
them  they  shall  neither  feed  nor  comfort  you* 


against  satan's  devices.  143 


CHAP.  XVIII. 

AS  SATAN  HATH  HIS  DEVICES  TO  KEEP  THE  SOUL 
FROM  HOLY  DUTIES,  SO  HATH  HE  HIS  DEVICES  TO 
KEEP  THE  SOUL  IN  A  SAD  AND  DOUBTING  STATE. 
HIS  FIRST  DEVICE  IS  BY  KEEPING  THE  SOUL  PORING 
ON  SIN,  MORE  THAN  ON  THE  SAVIOUR. 

Isaiah  xxiv.  16. 

My  leanness,  my  leanness,  tvo  unto  me. 

It  is  indeed  a  truth  of  no  small  moment  to  a 
Christian,  that  Satan  can  never  rob  a  believer  of 
his  crown  ;  yet  such  is  his  malice  and  envy  that  he 
will  leave  no  stone  unturned,  no  means  unattempted 
to  rob  them  of  fheir  comfort,  peace  and  enjoyment 
of  Christ,  and  render  their  lives  a  pain,  and  a  bur- 
den almost  insupportable :  and  in  order  to  accom- 
plish his  design  he  keeps  the  believer's  eye  upon  his 
sins,  unworthiness,  short  comings,  and  daily  omis- 
sions, that  he  is  so  taken  up  with  his  sinfulness  as  to 
lose  sight  of  Christ ;  his  eye  is  so  fixed  upon  the 
disease  that  the  remedy  cannot  be  discovered  ;  yea, 
the  debt  is  so  mused  upon  that  the  surety  is  forgot- 
ten. And  thus  I  fear  many  spend  their  days  in  sor- 
row and  mourning,  in  sighing  and  complaining,  iu 
doubting  and  questioning:  surely  we  have  no  inter- 
est in  Christ,  our  graces  are  not  true,  our  hopes  are 


144 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


nothing,  but  like  the  hypocrite's  hope,   and  all  our 
love  and  enjoyments  are  delusions. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Thankfully  to  consider,  that  although 
Christ  hath  not  freed  us  from  the  presence  of  sin, 
yet  he  hath  from  the  (damning)  power  of  it. 

Romans  viii.  1. 

There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation. 

The  weakest  believer  in  Jesus  should  consider, 
that  though  Jesus  Christ  hath  not  freed  him  from 
the  indwelling  of  sin,  yet  he  hath  taken  away  its 
damning  power  and  guilt.  It  is  most  true,  that 
sin  and  grace  were  never  born  together  ;  neither 
shall  sin  and  grace  die  together :  yet  while  a  be- 
liever breathes  in  this  world,  they  must  live  to- 
gether, they  must  keep  house  together,  though  they 
live  at  the  farthest  distance,  and  have  the  greatest 
hatred  for  each  other :  still  the  believer's  enemies 
are  always  the  strongest  and  most  numerous  in  his 
own  house.  Christ  hath  not  promised  to  free  any 
believer,  in  this  life,  from  the  presence  and  sight  of 
sin  in  his  own  heart ;  but  he  hath  promised  better 
things  :  to  keep  them  from  the  power,  evil  and  guilt 
of  it,  that  there  should  be  no  condemnation  for  it. 
The  law  cannot  condemn  a  believer,  for  Christ  hath 


against  satan's  devj<  1  \~) 

fulfilled  in  his  stead  ;  divine  justice  cannot,  for 
Christ  lias  died  ;  sins  cannot,  for  Christ  has  satis- 
fied, and  his  blood  pardons  them  ;  conscience  can- 
not, for  Christ  is  greater  than  it,  and  he  will  not 
condemn,  and  Satan  and  the  world  dare  not. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider, 
that  although  Christ  hath  not  delivered  us  from  the 
molesting  power  of  sin,  yet  he  hath  freed  us  from  the 
masterful  reign  and  dominion  of  it. 

Romans  vi.  14. 

Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  you. 

Come,  thou  trembling  soul,  and  consider,  that 
though  thy  sins  molest  and  vex,  and  break  thy 
peace,  that  thou  canst  not  think  of  God,  nor  go  to 
God,  nor  speak  with  God,  as  thou  wouldst,  and 
art  not  able  to  keep  thy  worship  clean,  yet  Jesus 
has  freed  thy  soul  from  that  lordly  authority  and 
masterful  reign  over  the  conscience,  that  it  shall  not 
have  dominion  over  thee.  Though  thou  canst  say 
as  Bradford  did  of  old,  "  O  Lord,  sometimes  me- 
thinks  I  feel  it  so  with  my  heart,  as  if  there  was  no 
difference  between  me  and  the  wicked,"  he.  still 
say,  with  another  saint,  "  Mv  sins  hurt  me  not, 
if  they  like  me  not."  Now  sin  reigns  in  the  soul 
when  the  soul  willingly  and  readily  obe3*s  it,  and 
subject  itself  to  its  commands.  The  commands  of 
a  king  whom  we  love,  arc  actively  and  faithfully 
13 


146  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

obeyed  :  but  the  commands  of  a  tyrant  are  unwil- 
lingly and  slowly  obeyed  :  therefore  rejoice,  and  be 
exceeding  glad,  for  Jesus  Christ  has  spoiled  sin, 
and  cut  short  its  reign. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  eye  of  the  soul  should  be  kept  steadfast  upon 
the  promises. 

Jeremiah  xxxiii.  8. 
Twill  cleanse,  fyc.  I  will  pardon,  fyc. 

It  is  a  duty  as  well  as  a  privilege,  to  keep  one 
eye  upon  the  promises  of  remission  of  sin,  as  well 
as  the  other  eye  upon  the  inward  operations  of  sin. 
This  is  a  most  certain  truth,  that  God  will  gracious- 
ly pardon  those  sins  to  his  people,  that  he  will  not 
in  this  life,  fully  root  out.  Paul  himself  prayed 
thrice  to  be  delivered  from  the  thorn  in  the  flesh  ; 
yet  all  that  God  would  do  for  him  was  to  give  him 
a  promise  :  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee  ;  I  will 
graciously  pardon  that  to  thee  which  I  will  not 
conquer  or  root  out  in  thee."  Ah  !  you  lamenting 
souls  that  spend  your  days  in  sighing  and  groaning, 
under  the  sense  and  burden  of  your  sins,  why  do 
you  deal  so  unkindly  with  God,  and  so  injuriously 
with  your  own  souls,  as  not  to  cast  an  eye  upon 
those  precious  promises  of  remisssion  of  sins? — 
Hear  your  God,  saying,  /,  even  I  am  he  that  blot- 
teth  out  thy  transgressions  to-day  and  to-morrow, 
fyc.     These  promises  are  like  the  leaves  of  myrrh, 


against  satan's  devices.  147 

dropping   mercy  and   spices  into  the  heart    of  the 
weakest  believer. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
all  sins  were  charged  upon  Christ,  and  he  hath  sat- 
isfied for  the  whole. 

2  Corinthians  v.  2i. 
For  he  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us. 

Let  the  humble,  let  the  weeping  and  the  mourn- 
ing soul  know  and  understand,  that  all  sins  were 
charged  to  Christ's  account  by  an  act  of  imputa- 
tion, and  not  by  an  act  of  transgression,  as  debts, 
which  he  hath  fully  satisfied  for;  and  indeed,  were 
there  but  one  single  farthing  of  that  debt  unpaid, 
and  standing  against  us,  that  Christ  should  have 
cleared,  by  his  satisfaction,  it  could  not  have 
been  consistent  with  the  divine  justice  to  have  ac- 
cepted any  part  of  the  payment,  or  to  admit  the 
surety  into  heaven,  to  sit  down  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  until  his  saints  are  all  gathered  home.  But 
all  debts  are  discharged  by  Christ's  death  ;  we  are 
freed,  and  he  is  exalted  to  glory,  and  hath  taken 
possession  of  the  kingdom  for  his  people.  Yea, 
all  our  outward  and  inward  sins  were  made  to  meet 
upon  Christ,  and  he  bore  them  in  his  own  body, 
upon  the  tree  ;  and  divine  justice  beheld  him  the  great- 
est of  sinners,  by  imputation  and  reputation.     Come 


148  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

then,  ye   laboring   souls,    and  behold  the   Lamb  of 
God,  that  taketh  away  the  sins  of  the  world. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  Attentively  to  consider, 
that  the  Lord  for  some  great  end,  suffers  the  soul 
to  be  vexed  with  sin. 

Exodus  xxiii.  29,  30. 
By  little  and  little  will  I  drive  them  out. 

Say  you,  why  should   the   Lord  suffer   my  soul 
to   be  exercised,  troubled,  and  vexed  with  the  ope- 
ration of  sinful  corruptions,  when  he,   by  his   great 
power  and  grace,  can  so   soon  deliver  me  from  all 
my  enemies,  and  that  when  he  knows  there   is  no- 
thing in   the   world  that   I   would  sooner  be  saved 
from  ?     I  will  attempt  with  reverence,  to  assign  thee 
some  important  reasons  for  the   Divine  conduct   in 
this  :  be  assured,  that  it  is  out  of  no  love  or  regard 
to   sin,  nor  anger   with  the    prayers  of  the  saints 
against  it ;  no,  nor  yet  out  of  any  want  of  the   as- 
sistance  of  sin   in  the  world,   to  magnify  the  grace 
of  God.     It  is  the  glory  of  God  to  bring  good  out 
of  evil,  and   to  restrain  that  evil  so  as   to  work  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will,    against  both  its  own  au- 
thor,   nature,  and  design,    and  yet  so  as  to  be  free 
from  the  least   allowance  of  it.     The  reasons  are, 
partly,  to  keep  the  soul  humble,  and  low  in  its  own 
eyes  ;  to  put   them  upon   the  use  of  all  the  divine 


against  satan's  devices.  149 

helps  or  means  ;  to  live  more  upon  Christ  for  sancti- 
fication :  to  wean  them  from  the  world,  to  teach 
them  compassion  to  one  another,  to  make  them 
heart-sick  of  their  absence  from  Christ,  to  lead 
them  to  distinguish  between  a  state  of  grace  and 
a  state  of  glory,  and  to  keep  them  from  looking 
for  it. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  humbly  to  consider,  that 
to  keep  poring  upon  our  sins,  and  to  lose  sight  of 
Christ,  is  rather  a  sin  than  a  virtue,  (to  any  soul,) 
and  calls  for  repentance. 

Psalm  xlii.  5,  6. 
Why  art  thou  cast  down,  0  my  soul,  fyc. 

Believers  should,  indeed,  be  sorrowful,  and  re- 
pent of  their  poring  upon  sin,  and  being  so  dis- 
tressed with  it  as  to  neglect  to  look  at  Christ ;  because 
their  discouragements  flow  from  ignorance  and  unbe- 
lief: it  springs  from  their  ignorance  of  the  riches, 
freeness,  fulness,  and  everlastingne.vs  of  God's  love  ; 
from  their  ignorance  of  the  power,  glory,  sufficien- 
cy and  efficacy  of  the  death  of  Christ;  and  from 
their  ignorance  of  the  worth,  glory,  fulness,  large- 
ness, and  completeness  of  the  righteousness  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  from  their  ignorance  of  that  real,  close, 
spiritual,  glorious,  and  inseparable  union  that  is  be- 
tween Christ  and  their  precious  souls.  Ah  !  did 
you  heartly  believe  these  precious  truths,  how  would 


150  PRECIOUS     REMEDIES 

you  grieve,  lament,  and  repent  over  your  sighings, 
groanings,  and  discouragements  of  your  sins ;  be- 
cause you  have  dishonored  Christ  in  looking  more 
upon  the  wound  than  upon  the  physician,  and  the  balm 
of  Gilead.  God  never  gave  a  believer  a  new  heart, 
that  it  should  always  lie  a  bleeding  heart  with  dis- 
couragements, 


against  satan's  devices.  151 


CHAP.  XIX. 

THE  SECOND  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  KEEP  THE  SOIL 
SAD  AND  DOUBTING,  IS  BY  A  FALSE  DEFINITION  OF 
GRACE. 

2  Corinthians  iv.  2. 
Handling  (he  word  of  God  deceitfully. 

Satan  knows,  that  as  a  false  definition  of  sin 
wrongs  the  soul  one  way,  so  false  reasonings  of  grace 
will  wrong  the  soul  another  wayj  and  I  need  only 
instance  this  device  in  one  single  grace  ;  that  is, 
faith.  Oh  !  how  doth  Satan  labor,  with  might  and 
main,  to  bring  men  to  make  a  false  definition  of  faith? 
Satan  works  some  persons  up  so  high  in  their  views 
and  descriptions  of  faith,  as  that  it  is  a  full  assurance 
of  the  love  of  God  to  a  man's  own  soul  in  particular, 
and  a  full  persuasion  of  the  pardon  of  our  sins  in 
general:  therefore,  saith  he,  what  hast  thou  to  do 
with  faith  ?  It  is  the  full  assurance,  and  thou  hast 
not  got  this,  therefore  thy  faith  is  no  faith.  Others 
represent  faith  so  low,  that  it  is  but  a  bare  belief  of 
the  word  of  God  ;  therefore  a  man  need  not  be  so 
much  concerned  for  faith.  Philosophers  say  there 
are  eight  degrees  of  heat;  we  can  only  discern  three. 
If  a  man  should  be  defined  to  be  a  man  only  by  his 


152  PRECIUJS    REMEDIES 

height,  length,  and  breadth,  what  must  be  made  of 
those  who  differ  from  this  rule  ?  So  the  grace  of 
faith :  if  there  is  no  faith  but  assurance,  and  no 
believer  but  such. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Carefully  to  consider,  that  there  may  be 
true  faith  where  there  is  little  or  no  asurance. 

Isaiah  1.  10. 

Who  is  among  you  that  feareth  the  Lord,  fyc.    that 
walketh  in  darkness. 

Yea,  the  sons  of  God  are  not  only  to  be  known 
from  their  strong  assurances,  but  from  their  darkness 
and  distress  too;  their  very  distress  and  pain  is  a 
presumptive  proof  of  the  seeds  and  beginninigs  of 
the  grace  of  God  in  their  souls,  and  that  they  are 
already  born  of  God.  How  many  are  there  repre- 
sented in  scripture  as  sitting  in  darkness,  snd  having 
no  light  of  assurance,  unto  whom  the  Lord  speaks 
as  unto  his  children  ?  It  is  one  thing  to  haVe  a  right 
to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  another  thing  to  know 
it ;  it  is  one  thing  to  be  beloved  of  God,  and  chosen 
and  called  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  another  thing  for  a 
man  to  live  in  the  comfortable  enjoyment  of  it,  by 
full  assurance ;  it  is  one  thing  for  God  to  write  a 


AGAINST  SATAN  S  DEVICES.  153 

man's  name  in  the  book  of  life,  and  another  things 
for  God  to  tell  a  man  that  his  name  is  written  there, 
and  to  say  to  him,  "  Rejoice,  because  thy  name  is 
written  in  heaven."  So  then,  1  say,  a  man  may  be 
a  man  of  God  and  of  grace,  yea,  have  faith,  great 
faith,  and  great  grace  too,  and  not  have  full  assu- 
rance. The  Canaanite  woman,  in  the  gospel,  had 
strong  faith,  yet  no  assurance,  that  we  can  read  of. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider  the 
scriptural /definition  of  faith. 

John  i.  12. 

As  many  as  received  him,  to  them  he  gave  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God. 

The  Lord,  the  spirit  of  life  and  power  from  Jesus 
Christ,  knoweth  the  spirits  of  men,  and  what  gifts 
and  measure  of  grace  to  give  unto  them,  for  the  true 
use  and  edification  of  the  church  of  God  ;  and  hath, 
in  infinite  wisdom  and  grace,  condescended  to  give 
such  plain  and  clear  accounts  of  faith,  in  its  nature, 
operation,  and  effects,  that  the  weakest  believer 
should  not  mistake  him,  nor  his  description.  The 
spirit,  therefore,  defines  faith  to  be  a  receiving  of 
Christ,  a  believing  on  his  name,  a  cleaving  of  the 
soul  unto  him,  a  coming  to  God  through  him,  and  a 
resting,  staying,  and  relying  of  the  soul  upon  him 
alone  for  salvation  ;  in  whom  ye  also  trusted  after  ye 
heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your  salvation, 


154 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


in  whom  also,  after  ye  believed,  ye  were  seal- 
ed with  that  holy  spirit  of  promise.  Ephesians 
i.  12,  13.  It  is  safest  and  sweetest  to  define  as 
God  defines,  both  vice  and  grace  ;  this  is  the 
only  way  to  settle  the  soul,  and  to  secure  it  against 
the  wiles  of  men  and  devils,  who  keep  the  soul  too 
much  in  a  sad  and  doubting  state,  from  false  no- 
tions. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,   that 
there  may  be  true  faith  where  there  is  much  doubting, 

Matthew  xiv.  31. 

O  thou  of  little  faith t  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt. 

Who,  that  reflects  but  for  a  moment  on  these  words 
of  our  Lord  to  Peter,  and  considers  the  apostle  him- 
self, but  must  be  led  to  acknowledge,  that,  from  the 
word  of  God,  it  appears  self-evident,  that  persons 
may  be  possessed  of  true  and  divine  faith,  who,  nev- 
ertheless, are  in  a  sad  and  doubting  state  ?  In  the 
case  of  the  disciples,  Matthew  xvi.  8.  "  O  ye  of  little 
faith,  why  reason  ye  among  yourselves?"  Jesus 
seemeth  to  commend  their  faith  in  one  view,  and  to 
condemn  their  doubts  in  another,  which  plainly  sup- 
poseth  the  presence  of  both  in  the  soul.  Doubting, 
therefore,  ihowgh  it  be  quite  contrary  to  faith,  yet  it 
will  by  no  means  conclude  a  man  to  have  no  faith  at 
all,  but  only  a  little  faith  at  that  season,  and'  in  that 


155 

circumstance.  Peter,  by  his  saying  "  if  it  be  thou," 
shewed  some  marks  of  weakness  in  his  faith ;  but 
when  he  could  say,  "  bid  me  come  unto  thee  on  the 
water,"  it  seemed  a  degree  of  stronger  faith  ;  but  af- 
terwards he  feared:  the  wind  and  seas  began  to  rise, 
and  losing  sight  of  Jesus,  as  God  of  the  seas,  he  be- 
gan to  sink.  Thus  Peter  is  a  pattern  to  both  weak 
and  strong  faith  ;  to  weak  faith,  not  to  be  dejected  ; 
to  strong  faith,  not  to  be  presumptive. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider,  that 
assurance  is  not  faith,  but  the  fruit  and  effect  of  faith. 

Hebrews  xi.  1. 
Faith  is  the  substance   of  things  hoped  for,  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen. 

No  man  will  say,  that  the  effect  is  the  pause,  nor 
that  the  fruit  is  the  root  of  the  tree;  but  the  cause 
must  be  in  the  effect,  and  the  root  in  the  fruit;  and 
yet  the  cause  cannot  be  the  effect,  nor  the  root  the 
fruit :  therefore,  as  the  effect  flows  from  the  cause, 
the  fruit  from  the  root,  and  the  stream  from  the  foun- 
tain, so  doth  this  assurance  flow  from  faith.  Now  no 
man  can  have  assurance,  and  be  fully  persuaded  of 
his  salvation  in  Jesus  Christ,  until  his  soul  be  close- 
ly united  to  Christ,  nor  until  he  be  ingrafted  into 
Christ ;  and  it  is  very  plain  that  a  man  cannot  be 
thus  ingrafted  into  Christ,  till  he  hath  faith  in  him 


156  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

as  the  Son  of  God  :  and  he  must  first  be  ingrafted 
into  Christ  by  faith,  before  he  can  have  a  full  assu- 
rance of  his  salvation  ;  which  evidently  shews  that 
assurance  is  not  faith,  but  rather  the  effect  and  fruit 
of  saving  faith  in  Jesus  Christ :  therefore,  when  Sa- 
tan would  attempt  to  embarrass  your  souls  by  a  false 
description  of  faith,  by  saying,  you  cannot  be  a  be- 
liever in  Jesus  unless  you  have  a  full  assurance  of 
faith,  tell  him,  that  you  can  rest  your  soul  and  your 
salvation  on  Christ  alone. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that  as- 
surance may  be  lost,  but  true  faith  cannot. 

Psalm  li.  12. 

Restore  unto  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation,  and  uphold 
me  with  thy  free  spirit. 

Though  assurance  be  a  precious  and  a  sweet  flow- 
er in  the  garden  of  the  saints,  and  to  them  is  infinite- 
ly more  sweet  and  delightful  than  all  outward  com- 
forts and  contents,  yet  it  is  but  a  flower,  and  subject 
to  fade  away  and  die,  leaving  the  soul  to  mourn  the 
loss  of  its  beauty  and  preciousness  in  its  experience. 
Doth  not  David  sufficiently  indicate  this  truth  in  the 
above  cited  passage  ?  What  joy  doth  he  intend,  but 
the  joy  of  assurance,  which  he  had  eminently  en- 
joyed, but  which,  through  the  entrance  of  sin,  was 
now  lost,  and  gone  far  from  him  ?     Yet  his  faith  re- 


against  satan's  devices.  157 

tnained  active:  and  this  text  is  the  prayer  of  faith, 
struggling  for  victory  over  those  clouds  and  sorrows 
that  sin  had  brought  upon  him :  therefore  it  appears 
evident  that  assurance  of  our  salvation,  and  pardon 
of  sin,  doth  primarily  arise  from  the  witness  of  the 
spirit  of  God  within  a  man,  as  a  free  spirit,  that  up- 
holds the  joy  of  the  heart,  and  that  this  freedom  and 
joy  of  the  soul  may  be  both  obstructed  and  lost ; 
yet  faith  cannot  be  lost,  though  brought  to  a  low 
ebb. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  deliberately  to  consider, 
that  a  man  must  first  have  faith,  and  no  small  de- 
gree of  it,  before  he  can  have  assurance. 

2  Peter  i.  1. 
Like  precious  faith  tvith  us. 

A  man  must  first  be  saved  before  he  can  be  assur- 
ed of  his  salvation,  for  he  cannot  be  assured  of  that 
which  is  not  ;  he  must  first  have  experience  of  sa- 
ving failhj  before  he  can  be  said  to  be  saved  by 
faith,  for  he  cannot  be  saved  by  that  which  he  hath 
not:  therefore,  I  say,  that  a  man  must  first  have  faith, 
and  no  small  degree  of  it  neither,  before  he  can  have 
assurance  :  this  will  evidence  that  assurance  is  not 
faith,  and  that  a  child  of  God  may  be  satisfied  that 
he  is  indeed  a  child  born  of  God,  although  he  doth 
not  enjoy  a  full  assurance  ;  but  still  it  doth  not  hence 
follow,  that  the  saints  of  God  should  neglect  and  dis- 
14 


gCX  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

regard  assurance,  because  that  they  may  be  sale 
without  it ;  no,  by  no  means  ;  neither  can  I  suppose, 
for  a  moment,  that  true  faith  in  the  soul  can  lead  the 
saints  to  take  satisfaction  in  any  thing  short  of  that 
which  has  a  tendency  to  enliven  and  enrich  the 
growth,  power,  and  the  fruits  of  faith  in  them  who 
are  the  saved  and  the  called  of  God,  according  to 
his  purpose. 


IGAIN8T    SATAN  8  'DEVICES.  1  ">') 


CHAP.  XX. 

THE  THIRD  DEVICE  THAT  SATAN  HATH  TO  KEEP  THE 
SOUL  IN  A  SAD  AND  DOUBTING  CONDITION,  IS  BY 
SUGGESTING  TO  IT,  THAT  ITS  GRACES  ARE  NOT  TRUE 
BUT  FALSE  AND  COUNTERFEIT  GRACES. 

Acts  vii.  21.    • 

For  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight  of  God. 

SAITH  Satan,  all  is  not  gold  that  glitters,  all  is 
not  free  grace  that  you  call  grace ;  and  that  which  you 
call  faith,  is  but  a  fancy  ;  that  which  you  take  for 
zeal,  is  but  natural  heat  and  passion ;  and  that 
which  you  esteem  as  divine  light  in  the  soul,  is  but 
common  light  of  reason  and  understanding  in  man, 
and  all  what  thousands  have  attained  to,  who  are 
now  in  hell.  Satan  doth  not  labor  more  mightily 
to  persuade  hypocrites  that  their  graces  are  true 
and  just  when  they  are  counterfeit,  than  he  doth 
to  persuade  precious,  souls  that  their  graces  are 
false  and  counterfeit,  when  indeed  he  knows  they 
are  true,  and  such  as  will  abide  the  fire  of  his  tempt- 
ations. Although  I  must  confess  to  thee,  O  Satan  ! 
that  many  a  fair  flower  may  grow  out  of  a  vile  and 
offensive  root,  so  many  sweet  dispositions  and  lovely 
actions  maybe  found  amongst  men,  where  there  is  on- 
ly^the  evil  and  corrupt  root  of  nature  reigning:  not- 


160  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

withstanding-,  this  shall  not  constitute  the  graces  of 
the  saints  to  be  only  counterfeit  graces. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  grace  is  taken 
in  different  senses  in  scripture. 

Romans  v.  15. 
The  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace. 

The  word  of  grace  is  sometimes  taken  for  the 
gracious  good  win  and  favor  of  God,  whereby  he 
is  pleased  of  his  own  free  love  and  grace  to  choose 
and  accept  of  sinners  in  Christ,  for  his  own  people, 
and  in  time  to  bring  them  forth  as  vessels  to  his 
own  glory  :  this  some  call  the  first  grace,  because 
it  is  the  fountain  of  all  other  graces,  and  springs 
from  thence  ;  and  it  is  therefore  called  grace,  be- 
cause it  makes  a  man  gracious  and  acceptable  to 
God  ;  but  this  grace  is  only  in  God.  Grace 
is-  also  taken  for  the  gifts  of  grace ;  and 
these  are  of  two  sorts,  common  or  special. — 
Some  gifts  of  grace  are  common  to  believers  and 
hypocrites  ;  such  are  the  gifts  of  knowledge,  gifts  of 
tongues,  gifts  of  prayer,  &ic.  and  some  are  special 
gifts  and  graces  ;  and  these  are  proper  and  peculiar 
to  the  saints  only ;  as  faith,  humility,  meekness,  love, 
patience  and  delight  in  God,   in  an  holy  and  heav- 


against  satan's  devices.  161 

enly  fellowship  and  communion  with  God,  and  in 
meditation  ;  therefore  let  Satan  be  resisted  stead- 
fastly in  the  faith,  and  you  shall  try  a  true  and  false 
faith. 

The  second  Remedy  is  wisely  to  consider  the 
difference  between  renewing  grace  and  restraining 
grace. 

2  Corinthians  ix.  13, 14. 
The  exceeding  grace  of  God  in  you. 

Renewing  grace  makes  a  man  all-glorious  within 
and  without ;  true  grace  makes  the  understanding 
glorious,  the  will  glorious,  the  affections  glorious, 
and  the  conscience  glorious,  yea,  it  casts  a  general 
glory  upon  all  the  noble  powers  of  the  soul ;  and 
as  it  makes  the  soul  glori  >us  within,  so  it  makes 
the  outside  glorious;  it  makes  men  look  gloriously, 
and  act  gloriously  :  so  that  vain  men  are  forced  to 
say,  these  are  they  that  have  seen  Jesus  ;  because 
they  see  that  all  is  gloriously  made  anew.  God  not 
only  giveth  grace  to  the  soul,  but  he  wills  that  that 
grace  should;  be  made  appear^  to  be  glorious 
grace.  Purity,  preciousness,  and  holiness  are 
stamped  upon  every  grace  of  the  spirit ;  but  it  is 
not  so  with  restraining  grace.  A  lion,  though  in  a 
grate,  is  a  lion  still ;  for  he  retains  his  lion-like  na- 
ture :  so  temporary  graces  restrain  many  men  from 
14* 


162  PRECfOCS    REMEDIES 

vice,  but  do  not  change  and  turn  their  hearts.  A 
new  creation,  new  Adam,  new  covenant,  new 
paradise,  new  Lord,  new  law,  new  heart,  and  new 
nature,  all  go  together. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
divine  grace  has  more  sweet  and  powerful  motives- 
to  holiness  than  restraining  grace  can  produce. 

2  Corinthians  i.  12. 

By  the  grace  of  God  we  have  had  our  conversation 

in  the  world. 

Saving,  sanctifying,  and  renewing  grace  move 
the  soul  of  the  possessor  to  spiritual  duties,  from 
spiritual  and  intrinsical  motives,  from  a  sense  of  the 
divine  love  and  favor  which  constrains  the  soul  to 
wait  upon  God,  and  to  act  for  God:  and  the  sense 
of  the  excellency  and  sweetness  of  communion  with 
God,  and  the  choice  and  precious  discoveries  that 
the  soul  has  formerly  had  of  the  beauty,  glory,  and 
perfections  of  God,  whilst  in  his  service.  The 
pleasant  looks,  th  \  gracious  words,  the  blessed  and 
endearing  epistles  of  love,  the  gracious  kisses,  and 
sweet  and  heavenly  embraces  that  the  gracious  soul 
hath  had  from  Christ  in  his  service,  do  move  him  so 
powerfully  in  holy  duties,  that  the  soul  may  be  said 
to  be  in  its  divine  element.  But  restraining  grace 
only  puts  men  upon  religious  duties,  from  exter- 
nal motives  :  from  the  care  of   the  creature,   the 


against  satan's  devices.  1G'> 

eye  of  the  world,  the  rewards  of  the  creature  and 
the  obtaining  of  a  good  name  amongst  the  profes- 
sions of  the  day ;  so  that  all  that  such  persons  can 
enjoy  in  the  habits  of  religious  duties,  is  the  grati- 
fication of  that  vain  glory  and  carnal  confidence 
which  they  receive  from  men. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider, 
that  true  grace  leads  the  soul  to  be  more  careful 
and  fearful  of  the  evils  of  the  human  heart  than  of 
any  other  enemy. 

Hebrews  iii.  12. 

Lest  there  be  in  any  of  you  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  . 

The  gracious  soul  is  a  conscious  soul  :  and  no" 
enemy  can  attack  the  soul  so  effectually  as  the  evils 
of  the  heart.  Grace  teaches  a  man  to  be  more 
careful  and  fearful  of  his  own  heart,  than  of  all  the 
Id  besides  ;  grace  aids  the  soul  to  view  all  its 
deceits  and  wiles,  and  so  assist  in  the  studious  inqui- 
ry after  its  evils,  that  the  soul  is  in  full  exercise  of 
socking  information,  sitting  in  examination  and 
watchings  over  an  evil  heart.  But  restraining 
grace  doth  not  find  any  such  thing,  and  can  see  no 
cause  for  such  complaints  to  be  made  against  the 
human  heart :  as  for  their  parts  they  find,  that 
through  the  grace  of  God,  and  their  moral  virtues, 
they  can  always  keep  themselves  from  a  multitude 
that  follow  evil :  and  if  they  are  but  freed  from  out- 


164-  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

ward  vice  and  wickedness,  they  fear  nothing  else, 
because  they  are  living  strangers  to  God  and  ta 
themselves,  in  the  divine  life. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
true  grace  enables  the  soul  to  prefer  the  cross  of 
Christ  to  all  temporal  glory. 

Galatians  vi.  14. 
God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross,  fyc. 

True  grace  will  enable  a  man  to  step  over  the 
earthly  crown  to  take  up  Christ's  cross  :  to  esteem 
the  cross  of  Christ  above  the  glory  of  the  world. 
It  was  this  that  enabled  Abraham,  Moses,  and 
Daniel,  with  that  noble  cloud  of  witnesses  in  He- 
brews xi.  so  joyfully  to  take  up  the  cross,  and  fol- 
low Christ.  Godfrey  of  Boulogne,  first  king 
of  Jerusalem,  refused  to  be  crowned  with  a  crown 
of  gold,  saying  that  it  did  not  become  a  Christian 
there  to  wear  a  crown  of  gold,  where  Christ  had 
worn  a  crown  of  thorns.  Oh  !  but  temporary 
grace  cannot  work  the  soul  to  prefer  Christ's  cross 
above  the  world's  crown  ;  but  when  these  two  meet, 
a  temporary  Christian  will  step  over  Christ's  cross 
to  take  up  the  world.  Demas  hath  forsaken  us  to 
embrace  the  present  world.  So  the  young  man  in 
the  gospel  had  many  things  in  him  that  appeared 
good,  and  like  special  graces,  but  when  Christ  puts 
the  matter  to  a  near  and  close  trial,  and  proposeth 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES. 


165 


the  cross,  lie  turns  his  back  upon  Christ.  God 
brings  not  a  pair  of  scales  to  weigh  our  graces,  but 
a  touch  stone  to  try  them.  How  few  are  of  Je- 
rome's mind,  that  had  rather  have  Paul's  coat,  with 
his  heavenly  graces,  than  the  purple  robes  of  kings, 
with  their  kingdoms. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
divine  grace  enables  the  pious  soul  to  sit  down  satis- 
fied with  the  enjoyment  of  Christ. 

Phillipians  iii.  7,  8. 

J  count  all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the 

knoivledge  of  Christ  Jesus,  fyc. 

The  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  Christ,  without 
honor,  will  satisfy  the  soul  of  a  saint  ;  the  enjoyment 
of  Christ  without  riches,  the  enjoyment  of  Christ 
without  pleasures,  and  the  enjoyment  of  Christ  with- 
out the  smiles  of  the  world,  can  satisfy  the  souls  of 
them  that  believe  in  Jesus.  Christ  is  all  my  riches, 
honor,  glory,  wealth,  health,  and  friends  ;  he  reigns, 
conquers,  and  triumphs  over  all.  Christ  is  the  pot 
of  manna,  the  cruise  of  oil,  and  the  ocean  of  all 
comfort,  content,  and  satisfaction:  he  that  hath 
Christ,  wants  nothing  ;  but  he  that  wants  him,  wants 
every  thing,  and  enjoys  nothing.  Oh  !  restraining 
grace  puts  up  with  this  world  without  Christ.  He 
is  good  to  temporary  believers  when  honors,  riches, 
pleasures,  and  creature's  smiles  are  found  in  the  cross; 


166 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


but  how  seldom  doth  this  take  place,  if  ever  ?  What 
a  multitude  of  shining  professors  are  there  in  the 
world,  that  cannot  rest  satisfied  and  contented  under 
the  want  of  this  or  the  other  outward  comfort  and 
delight  ?  Lambert  cried  out,  in  the  flames,  "  None 
but  Christ !  none  but  Christ !"  Believing  souls  say 
there  is  nothing  either  good  or  great  but  Christ. 


AGAINST  SATAN  S  DEVICES.  167 


CHAP.  XXI. 

THE  FOURTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  KEEP  THE  SOUL 
IN  A  SAD  AND  DOUBTING  STATE,  IS  BY  REPRESENT- 
ING THE  PERSON  TO  BE  IN  A  LOST  AND  RUINOUS 
CONDITION,  BECAUSE  HE  HATH  LOST  HIS  FIRST 
LOVE. 

Revelations  ii.  4. 

/  have  somewhat  against  thee   because  thou  hast  lost 

thy  first  love. 

Surely,  saith  Satan,  thou  art  in  a  dangerous 
state  ;  and  there  can  be  no  good  thing  found  in  thee 
towards  the  Lord,  because  thou  canst  not  joy  and 
rejoice  in  Christ  as  in  the  days  of  thy  first  love, 
when  thou  wentest  after  Christ  in  a  land  that  was  not 
seen.  Yea,  saith  Satan,  thou  knowest  the  time  was 
when  thy  heart  was  much  carried  out  in  holy  ecstacy 
and  triumphs,  when  thou  couldcst  have  died  for  his 
name,  for  thy  cup  ran  over,  and  thy  soul  longed  to 
he  gone  :  but  now  the  scene  is  changed  ;  thy  love  is 
cold,  thy  soul  dead  and  barren,  and  all  thy  joys  and 
ecstacies  are  departed  from  thy  soul,  and  nothing  re- 
mains but  a  round  of  dry  and  formal  duties  :  see 
therefore,  that  thy  state  cannot  be  good;  thou  art 
deceiving  thyself  to  imagine  that  there  ever  was  any 
thing  good  in  thee,  for  surely  if  it  had  been  good, 
and  a  work  of  God,  thy  love  and  joy  would  have  re- 


168  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

mained  the  same.  Oh,  thou  devil !  I  feel  thy  rage 
and  thy  malice  against  the  souls  of  men  in  my  own 
experience ;  and  it  may  be  there  are  many  precious 
souls  groaning  under  this  device  of  Satan  :  let  me 
then  lead  you  to  some  precious  remedies. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  the  christian 
may  be  full  of  holy  affections  when  he  is  empty  of 
divine  consolations. 

Psalm  Ixiij.  1,  2. 
My  soul  thirsteth  for  thee,  fyc. 

The  loss  of  spiritual  comfort  is  common  to  the  peo- 
ple of  God  ;  and  there  may  be,  and  often  is,  true 
grace,  yea,  much  grace,  where  there  is  not  a  drop  of 
comfort,  nor  a  dram  of  divine  consolation  in  the 
soul.  Comfort  is  not  the  being  of  a  child  of  God, 
but  the  well  being,  or  the  vigorous  enjoyments  of  a 
Christian  in  the  divine  life  :  God  hath  not  so  linked 
these  two  choice  lovers  together,  but  that  they  may 
be  put  asunder.  That  wisdom  that  is  from  above 
will  never  work  a  man  to  reason  thus:  I  have  no 
comfort,  therefore  I  have  no  grace  ;  I  have  lost  that 
joy  that  once  I  had,  therefore  my  condition  is  not 
good,  was  never  good  ;  the  light  of  the  divine  coun- 


against -satan's  devji  J  69 

"tenance  is  gone  from  me,  therefore  the  Lord  is  de- 
parted, and  left  me  a  prey  to  my  own  evil  heart,  he. 
But  it  will  enable  a  man  to  reason  thus  :  Though 
my  comfort  is  gone,  yet  God.  who  is  the  infinite 
source  of  all  my  joy  and  consolation,  abides  ;  though 
my  pleasant  frames  be  lost,  yet  the  seeds  of  grace 
remain.  Spiritual  joy  is  a  sun  that  is  often  clouded, 
though  it  be  precious  to  walk  in  the  clear  shinings 
thereof.  The  joys  of  the  best  men  upon  earth  are  as 
glass,  bright  and  brittle,  and  ever  more  in  danger  of 
breaking. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
when  comfort  is  departed  from  the  soul,  the  pre- 
cious union  with  Christ  still  remains  the  same. 

Malachi  ii.  14,  15,  16. 

The  Lord, '  the  God  of  Israel  saith,  he  hateth  put- 
ting away. 

Consider  that  the  precious  things  that  thou  still  en- 
joyest,  are  far  better  than  the  joys  and  comforts  that 
thou  hast  lost.  Thy  union  with  Christ,  thy  commun- 
ion, thy  sonship,  thy  saintship,  and  thy  heirship,  that 
thou  still  enjoyest  by  Christ,  are  far  better  than  all 
the  comforts  thpu  hast  lost.  Reason  thou,  therefore, 
thus  within  thyself,  and  say,  "  Well,  Satan,  I  ac- 
knowledge that,  through  my  foolishness  and  sins,  1 
have  lost  my  first  love  and  comforts  ;  yet  I  am  a  son, 
•an  heir,  and  a  saint,  though  comfortless  ;  though  the 
15 


170  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

bag  of  silver  be  lost,  yet  the  box  of  jewels  is  safe  : 
Christ  is  safe,  pardon  is  safe,  righteousness  is  safe, 
union  is  safe,  communion  is  safe,  and  heaven  and 
eternal  comfort  and  joy  are  safe,  though  my  present 
and  temporary  comforts  are  changed."  The  least  of 
those  jewels  is  more  precious  and  noble  than  all  the 
comforts  thou  hast  tasted  in  thy  youth.  Let  this  be 
a  consolation,  a  cordial  to  comfort  thee,  a  star  to 
lead  thee,  and  a  staff  to  support  thee  in  the  way, 
that  however  thy  joys  come  and  go,  and  frequently 
leave  thee  comfortless,  yet  the  cabinet  of  jewels  is 
safe  from  thieves  and  robbers. 

The  third  Remedy  is.  attentively  to  consider, 
that  the  causes  of  joy  and  comforts  are  not  always 
the  same. 

Psalm  cxxxvii.  1,  2,  3,  4.^ 

How  shall  ive  sing    the  Lord's  song  in    a  strhnge 

land: 

Thy  former  joy  and  comfort  migh't  spring  from  the 
witness  of  the  spirit,  he  bearing  witness  to  thy  soul, 
that  thy  heart  and  nature  were  changed,  thy  sins 
pardoned,  thy  soul  justified,  and  thyself  now  recon- 
ciled to  God.  But  now  the  spirit  may,  upon  some 
special  occasions,  bear  witness  to  thy  soul,  that  the 
heart  of  God  is  dearly  set  upon  thee,  and  that  he 
loves  thee  with  an  everlasting  love,  he.  and  yet  thou 
mayest  not  enjoy  so  clear  a  testimony  all  the  days 
of  thy  life  again.     Or  it  may  be  that  thy  former  joy 


against  satan's  devices.  171 

and  comfort  did  spring  from  the  newness  and  sudden 
surprise  of  the  change  that  grace  had  wrought  upon 
thy  sold  :  for  a  man  to  have  Godjs  anger  and  frowns 
turned  into  smiles,-  his  hatred  into  love,  his  lieli  into 
a  heaven,  must  cause  his  soul  to*  leap  for  jo 
cannot  but  make  his  heart  glad  to  see  Satan  acca- 
sing,  his  own  mind  condemning,  God  frowning  u\)lm\ 
him,  the  gates  of  heaven  barred  against  him,  and 
nothing  but  the  infernal  pit  appearing  for  him  :  now 
in  such  an  hour,  with  such  feelings,  for  Christ  to 
step  into  the  soul,  and  say,  "  Fear  not,  I  am  thy 
salvation,  I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold,  &c." 
Oh  !   what  tongue  can  express  this  joy. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  case  of  the  comfortless  soul  is  not  singular,  but 
common  to  all  the  saints. 

1  Peter  v.  S,  9. 

The  same  afflictions  are  accomplished  in  your  brethren 
thai  are  in  the  world. 

Thy  condition  is  no  other  than  what  hath  been 
the  State  and  experience  of  the  saints  of  old ;  for 
those  precious  souls  whose  names  were  written  upon 
the  heart  of  Christ,  and  who  are  now  at  rest  in  the 
bosom  of  Christ,  were  once  and  again  in  their  day, 
sighing  and  grieving;  for  the  loss  of  those  comforts  and 
sensible  consolations  of  their  souls,  as  thou  dost  in 
this  day  of  thy  sorrow.     Mark   the  scriptures^   and 


172 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIED 


you  will  hear  them  one  day  praising,  exulting,  joying, 
and  rejoicing  in  the  God  of  their  salvation,  and  ven- 
turing to  predict  that  their  mountain  stands  so  strong 
it  shall  never  be  moved  :  but  the  Lord  hides  his  facer 
and  withdraws  the  comforts  from  the  soul,  then  all- 
is  darkness  and  distress ;  then  the  days  of  their 
weeping  and  mourning  come  upon  them.  The 
spirit  has  not  promised  you  a  feast  every  day;  you 
must  not  expect  to  wear  the  wedding  robes  everyday 
in  the  week  ;  no,  it  is  pretty  well  if  you  get  them  on 
upon  royal  days,  and  when  you  see  the  king  in  his 
beauty.  Therefore  remember,  that  although  the 
first  joy,  the  great  jey  of  your  deliverance  may  be 
abated,  yet  your  life  is  the  same  ;  precious  with  God. 
Joy,  therefore,  in  God  alone. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
God  will  restore  and  make  up  the  comforts  of  his 
people. 

Isaiah  Ivii.  IS. 
I  have  seen  his  ways,  and  will  heal  him,  S?c.  and  re- 
store comforts  unto  him. 

Though  thy  sun,  for  the  present,  be  clouded,  yet 
he  that  rides  upon  the  clouds  shall  scatter  those  inter- 
posing clouds,  and  cause  the  sun  to  shine  and  warm 
thy  heart,  as  in  former  days.  God  takes  away  a 
little  comfort,  that  he  may  make  room  in  the  soul 
for  a  greater  degree  of  comfort.  What  though  thy 
candle  be  gone  out,  yet  God  shall  light  it  again,  and 


173 

cause  it  to  burn  brighter  than  ever.  The  Psalmist 
saith,  "  Thou  which  hast  shewed  me  great  and  sore 
troubles  shalt  quicken  me  again,  and  shalt  bring  me 
up  again,  from  the  depths  of  the  earth.  Thou  shalt 
increase  my  greatness,  and  comfort  me  on  every 
side."  Psalm  lxxi.  20,  21.  Hudson  the  martyr,  be- 
ing deserted  at  the  time  of  his  suffering,  went  from 
under  the  stake,  and  prayed  earnestly,  and  the  Lord 
heard  and  enlivened  his  soul,  and  he  suffered  valiant- 
ly. Mr.  Glover,  when  he  was  led  from  prison, 
was  in  great  darkness,  but  when  he  saw  the  stake? 
cried  out,  to  his  friend,  "  He  is  come  !  He  is  come!" 
Meaning  the  spirit,  the  comforter  promised  by  Jesus 
Christ  to  all  his  saints.  Bear  up  sweetly,  O  precious 
soul!     He  will  come,  he  will  come  to  thee. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
as  all  sin  is  hateful  to  God,  so  are  all  those  things 
that  rob  the  soul  of  spiritual  comforts  hateful  to  the 
children  of  God. 

Romans  vii.  1 5. 
But  what  I  hate  that  do  L 

The  universal  conflicts  of  the  saints,  both  with 
great  and  small,  with  internal  and  external  sins  and 
infirmities,  confirm  the  important  truth  of  Peter's  re- 
ply to  his  Lord  on  the  nature  and  evidence  of  his 
love  to  Jesus  after  that  shameful  denial  of  him  before 
men.  Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things ;.  thou  know- 
15* 


174  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

est  that  I  love  thee  :  my  love  is  abated,  and  my  teaY 
is  cooler  than  when  [first  loved  thee  ;  but  thou  know- 
est  all  things,  and  that  I  earnestly  love  thee  still,  al- 
though it  is  not  with  me  as  in  days  past.  The  fool 
looks  upon  one  sin,  and  sees  that  that  cast  down  No- 
ah, the  most  righteous  man  in  the  world ;  and  he 
looks  upon  another  sin,  and  sees  that  that  cast  down 
Abraham,  the  greatest  beliver  in  the  world  ;  and  he 
looks  upon  another  sin,  and  sees  that  that  cast  down 
Moses,  the  meekest  man  in  the  world ;  and  he  looks 
upon  another  sin,  and  finds  that  that  cast  down 
Sampson,  the  strongest  man  in  the  world,  he.  there- 
fore he  concludes  that  there  is  no  rest  nor  comfort 
for  a  comfortless  man,  but  in  the  Lord  alone,  and 
that  by  these  things  the  soul  is  brought  off  from  self, 
duties,  and  creatures,  to  lean  upon  the  cross. 


against  satan's  devices.  175 


CHAP.  XXII. 

THE  FIFTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  KEEP  THE  SOUL  IN 
A  SAD  AND  DOUBTING  STATE,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING 
THE  MANY  RELAPSES  INTO  THE  SAME  SIN,  AND  THE 
BACKSLID! NGS  OF  THE  SOUL,  AS  TOO  HEINOUS  TO  BE 
FORGIVEN. 

Psalm  Hi.  2. 
There  is  no  help  for  him  in  God. 

Oh  !  saith  Satan,  thy  heart  cannot  be  sincere 
and  right  with  God,  for  thon  hast  often  relapsed  in- 
to the  same  sin,  which  formerly  thou  didst  pursue 
with  particular  sorrow,  grief,  and  shame,  and  with 
mighty  prayer  and  watchfulness ;  but  now  thou  art. 
after  all,  overcome;  and  hast  backsliden  again  into 
foul  sins :  surely  thou  art  not  a  saint  nor  a  child  of 
God !  How  canst  thou  think  that  the  Lord  can  ac- 
cept thee,  and  eternally  save  such  a  one  as  thou  art, 
who  complainest  against  sin,  and  yet  Mills  again  into 
the  very  same  sin  ?  Thy  prayers,  sighings,  and 
repentings  are  not  good,  nor  can  they  spring  from 
a  true  sorrow  and  hatred  of  sin,  or  love  to  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  commandments ;  therefore  deceive 
not  thyself  and  others,  for  thou  art  in  a  bad  state, 
and  thy  religion  only  serves  to  make  thee  miserable 
here  and  hereafter  too :  for  there  can  be  no  forgive- 
ness for  backsliding  and  turning  again  to  folly,  so 


176  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

many  times  as  thou  hast.  Thus  Satan  gets  the  ad' 
vantage  over  our  soul,  and  holds  us  in  a  sad  and 
doubting  condition  all  our  days. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  the  scripture* 
are  particularly  clear  and  encouraging  on  this  point, 

Hosea  xiv.  4. 
I  will  heal  their  bacfolidings,  I  will  love  them  freely. 

That  the  gracious  word  of  God  doth  clearly  evi- 
dence a  possibility  of  the  saints  falling  into  the 
same  sin  again,  notwithstanding  their  former  sor- 
row, cannot  be  denied ;  and  it  is  a  mercy,  and 
matter  of  eternal  thankfulness,  that  the  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God  has  so  fully  revealed  it  in  the  scrip- 
ture, that  the  returning  soul  might  have  hope. — 
Come,  hear  now,  the  declarations  of  the  Lord  our 
God :  *'  Turn,  O  backsliding  Israel,  saith  the 
Lord,  for  I  am  married  unto  you.  Return,  thou 
backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  not 
cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you  ;  for  I  am  mer- 
ciful, saith  the  Lord.  How  shall  I  give  thee  up, 
Ephraim  ?  How  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel?  My 
heart  is  turned  within  me,  my  repentings  are  kind- 
led together-"     Hosea  xi.  7,  8,  he.  kc.     When  a 


against  satan's  devices.  177' 

soldier  boasted  too  much  of  a  great  scar  in  hte 
forehead,  before  Augustus  Caesar,  he  asked  him,  if 
he  did  not  get  that  wound  by  looking  back  as  he 
fled  ?  So,  alas  !  the  christian  is  often  wounded  by 
looking  back,  and  fleeing  before  sin,  rather  than 
fleeing  upon  it,  to  cut  it  off  forever. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  that 
the  seeds  of  sin  are  both  deep  and  strong,  while 
grace  and  repentance  are  but  weak  and  feeble,  there 
being  no  particular  promise  from  God  to  keep  the 
soul  from  a  possibility  of  a  relapse. 

Galatians  vi.  I. 
Considering  thyself,  lest  thou  also  be  tempted. 

I  cannot  make  it  a  wonder  and  an  astonishment 
beyond  comparison,  if  a  child  of  God  should  fall 
into  the  same  error  as  before,  when  we  consider 
that  repentance  though  never  so  sincere  and  sound, 
is  but  weak,  and  an  act  of  a  feeble  man  or  woman  ; 
and  the  repeated  cautions  and  admonitions  of  the 
spirit  of  God  in  the  scriptures  on  this  head,  togeth- 
er with  those  noble  and  gracious  addresses  of  trre 
Lord  to  backsliding  souls  ;  neither  can  I  find  any 
engagements  on  the  Lord's  side  to  keep  any  of  his 
saints  from  the  possibility  of  sin  :  after  their  con- 
version, the  power,  the  reign,  and  the  damning  au- 
thority and  guilt  of  sin  is  destroyed,  and  promise 
made  that  it  shall   never  have  dominion  over  them 


178 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


as  before,  in  its  unconquered  and  absolute  power; 
still  there  is  no  promise  to  insure  the  soul  of  an  im- 
possibility of  sin  in  the  seeds  thereof  never  putting 
up  head  and  requiring  tlje  pruning  knife.  This  is 
not  intended  to  keep  the  soul  in  bondage,  nor  to  en- 
courage the  backslider  to  go  on  in  relapses. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
the  soul  too  often  relapses  into  infirmities  or  weak- 
nesses, as  well  as  into  outward  sins. 

Hebrews  iv.  1,5. 
Touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities. 

As  I  dare  not  deny  relapses  into  enormities,  or 
outward  sins,  so  neither  can  I  deny  that  saints  re- 
lapse into  infirmities.  It  is  not  usual  with  the  Lord 
to  leave  his  people  frequently  to  fall  into  enormities  ; 
for  his  spirit  and  grace,  his  smiles  and  frowns,  his 
word  and  rod,  do  preserve  them  from  a  compliance  : 
yet  you  may  find  that  saints  too  frequently  do  re- 
lapse into  infirmities.  I  mean,  by  relapses  into  in- 
firmities, the  repeated  giving  way  to  idle  words, 
passion,  vain  thoughts,  and  other  unprofitable  talk 
and  works.  It  is  indeed  a  truth  of  great  moment, 
that  saints  do^  strive  against  those  sins,  and  com- 
plain of  them  before  the  Lord,  and  frequently  go 
weeping  to  the  altar  of  the  Lord  on  account  of  those 
sins,  crying  out  of  their  foolishness,  in  the  disqui- 
etude of  their  souls.     But  the  Lord  who  is  infinite 


against  satan's  devices.  179 

;n  compassion,  is  graciously  pleased  to  look  down, 
and  to  place  underneath  die  soul  his  everlasting 
arms,  and  so  support  the  weeping  saint  from  per- 
ishing under  the  weight  of  his  infirmities,  and  melt 
the  heart  with  his  loving  kindness. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  there  are  both  involuntary  relapses  and  volun- 
tary ones. 

Hosea  xi.  12. 

Ephraim  compasseth  me  about   with   lies,  fyc.  but 

Judah  yet  ruleth  with  God,  and  is  faithful,  <^c. 

Involuntary  relapses  are  when  the  resolution  and 
bent  of  the  heart  is  against  sin,  when  'he  soul 
strives  with  all  its  might  against  sin.  by  prayers, 
tears,  sighs,  and  groans,  and  yet  cannot  find  victo- 
ry, or  strength  sufficient  to  hold  out,  but  through 
weakness  is  forced  to  fall  back  ;  and  sq  sin  takes 
the  advantage  of  the  soul.  Though  involuntary 
sins  and  infirmities  are  sufficient  causes  of  humilia- 
tion, yet  they  should  not  discourage  nor  deject  us, 
for  God  will  surely  pardon.  Voluntary  relapses 
are,  when  the  soul  takes  an  active  part  with  the 
tempter  and  the  snare,  to  enslave  and  indulge  the 
soul  in  the  commission  of  the  sin,  and  there  is  a 
delight  to  go  back  into  folly,  and  a  freedom  in  the 
a^t.  May  I  not  say  there  is  a  great  and  an  essen- 
tial difference   between  a  sheep  that,  through  much 


180  PRECIOUS     REMEDIES 

weakness  falls  into  the  mire,  and  a  swine  that  natu- 
rully  delights  to  wallow  in  the  mire  ?  How  very 
consistent  this  comparison  with  the  word  of  God, 
2  Peter  ii.  22.  Then  let  saints  lift  up  their  heads, 
and  be  not  discouraged,  for  God  is  with  them  to  de- 
liver. 

The  fifth  remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider,  that 
neither  the  greatest  sorrow  for  sin,  nor  the  choicest 
discoveries  of  God  (manifested)  to  the  soul,  can  be 
an  absolute  freedom  from  the  in-being  of  sin. 

2  Corinthians  xii.  2,  7. 
A  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me. 

There  can  be  no  such  power  or  infinite  virtue  in 
the  deepest  sorrow  of  soul  under  sin,  as  to  insure 
that  heart  that  the  least  seed  of  the  old  corruption 
shall  not  rise  any  more  ;  nor  so  much  essential  pu- 
rity and  grace  communicated  unto  the  soul,  under 
the  gracious  discoveries  of  God's  love  and  favor  to 
the  soul,  as  that  the  person  should  venture  to  assert 
himself  absolutely  clear  and  free  from  the  least  re- 
turning of  his  nature  to  sin  and  sinful  infirmities. 
Those  gracious  manifestations  of  God  to  the  soul, 
are  glorious  seasons  to  the  people  of  God  ;  but  they 
do  not  always  abide  in  their  power  and  sweetness 
upon  the  heart,  nor  can  the  most  elevated  station 
deliver  you  from  the  danger  of  repeated  relapses. 
Peter,  James  and  John  were  exalted  >to  the  mount 


against  satan's  devices.  181 

of  Christ's  transfiguration,  and  saw  his  glory,  but 
did  that  prevent  them  from  infirmities,  and  natural 
actings  of  their  unsanctified  pnrt  ?  No  ;  they  slept 
and  slumbered  so  much,  as  to  lose  the  noblest  sight 
on  earth.  Luke  ix.  28,37.  Alas!  we  find  that 
the  greatest  saint  is  but  weakness  when  left. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  whole  frame  of  a  believer's  soul  is  against  sin, 
and  the  conflict  with  the  saint  is  universal  through 
the  whole  frame  of  both  soul  and  body. 

Hebrews  xii.  4. 
Resisting  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin. 

The  whole  frame  of  a  believer's  soul  is  against 
sin  in  all  its  natures,  operations  and  effects ;  the 
understanding,  will,  and  affections,  and  all  the  pow- 
ers and  faculties  of  the  soul  are  in  arms  against 
sin,  and  the  conflict  is  universal  with  the  least  as 
well  as  with  the  greatest,  the  most  profitable  and 
the  most  pleasing,  as  well  as  the  less  pleasing  and 
profitable  sin,  and  the  relapses  into  sin  ;  and  this 
conflict  is  maintained  by  spiritual  weapons  and  argu- 
ments, such  as  the  soul  draws  from  the  love  of  God, 
the  honor  of  God,  the  person  of  Christ,  his  blood, 
his  righteousness,  and  his  glory  ;  the  Holy  Spirit, 
his  seal,  his  earnest,  his  witness,  and  his  comforting 
influences  to  the  soul,  &c;  and.  further,  this  conflict 
of  the  saints  against  sin  is  in  the  very  same  facul- 
16 


182  PRECiOCS    REMEDIES 

ties  and  powers  of  the  soul,  is  the  unregenerate  part 
against  the  regenerate  part,  in  all  parts  of  the  soul  ; 
as  judgment  against  judgment,  will  against  will, 
and  the  affections  against  the  affections,  &c.  So 
then,  though  Christ  hath  given  sin  its  death  stroke, 
yet  it  will  die  but  a  lingering  death,  and  the  Chris- 
tian must  resist  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin. 


against  satan's  devices.  is) 


CHAP.  XXIII. 

THE  SIXTH  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  KEEP  THE  SOUL  IN 
A  SAD  AND  DOUBTING  CONDITION,  IS  BY  PERSUA- 
DING THE  SOUL  THAT  IT  CANNOT  BE  IN  A  GOOD 
STATE,  BECAUSE  IT  IS  VEXED  WITH  SO  MANY  TEMP- 
TATIONS. 

I  Thessalonians  iii.  5. 

The  tempter  have  tempted  you,  and  our  labor  be  in 

vain. 

Satan  saith,  thy  state  and  thy  heart  cannot  be 
good,  nor  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  because  thou 
art  continually  followed,  vexed,  and  tormented  with 
so  many  awful  temptations.  Satan's  method  is  first 
to  vex  and  weary  the  soul  with  his  devices  and  temp- 
tations, and  then  to  tempt  and  torment  the  soul,  that 
it  is  an  impossibility  for  any  good  to  be  found  in 
him,  when  so  many  evil  desires,  and  vain  and  foolish 
reasonings  are  continually  pouring  themselves  into 
the  mind.  Now,  saith  Satan,  if  God  loved  you  with 
the  same  love  that  he  doth  his  own  children,  then,  no 
doubt,  he  would  keep  you  from  those  temptations 
which  break  your  peace  and  dishonor  God.  For 
what  blasphemous  thoughts  against  the  person,  per- 
fections, and  government  of  God,  do  you  find  work- 


184  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

ing  within  your  bosom  ?  And  what  evil  and  dishon- 
oring thoughts  spring  up  within  you  against  the  bi- 
ble, which  tempt  you  to  believe  that  it  is  not  the  word 
of  God  he.  Satan  tempted  Job  to  be  even  weary 
of  his  life.  Job  x.  1.  "  My  soul  is  weary  of  my 
life."  Thus  Satan,  by  this  stratagem,  keeps  many 
precious  souls  in  a  sad  and  doubting  state  for  many 
years. 

The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  those  saints 
that  enjoy  most  of  the  divine  presence  are  most  vex- 
ed with  Satan. 

Hebrews  ii.  15. 

He  being  tempted   is   able   to  succor  them  that  arc 

tempted. 

Let  us  consider  that  those  saints  that  have  been 
best  and  most  beloved  of  God,  and  have  enjoyed 
most  of  the  divine  presence  in  this  life,  have  been 
the  most  tempted  and  vexed  by  Satan.  Christ  him- 
self was  the  most  near,  most  dear,  most  excellent, 
and  the  most  innocent  person  upon  earth,  and  yet  no 
one  was  ever  so  much  tempted  as  Christ.  Abraham 
was  a  friend  o!  God,  and  the  father  of  the  faithful, 
yet  he  was  greatly  tempted.  David  was  dearly  be- 
loved of  God,  and  a  man   after   his  own  heart,  and 


187 

counsels  all  men  to  answer  all  temptations  with  these 
words:  "  I  am  a  Christian."  If  a  man's  temptations 
be  his  greatest  affliction,  then  is  the  temptation  no  sin 
upon  his  soul,  though  it  be  a  trouble  upon  his  mind. 
When  your  souls  can,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the 
words,  address  the  Lord,  and  say,  "  Ah !  Lord, 
thou  knowest  that  I  have  many  outward  troubles  up- 
on me,  and  that  I  have  lost  many  mercies,  yea,  the 
most  dear  and  lovely  mercies  in  the  world,  and  yet 
all  these  mercies,  crosses,  and  losses  do  not  make  so 
many  wounds  in  my  soul,  nor  cause  me  to  fetch  such 
heavy  sighs  from  my  heart,  nor  tears  from  my  eyes, 
as  those  temptations  do  that  Satan  follows  up  my 
soul  with."  When  it  is  thus  with  you,  then  the  temp- 
tations of  Satan  are  the  soul's  troubles,  but  not  the 
soul's  sins ;  therefore  you  have  reason  rather  to  re- 
joice, and  be  exceeding  glad,  as  the  temptation  can- 
not harm  you,  although  it  should  vex  you. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
Satan  is  a  malicious  and  envious  enemv  to  the  soul  ; 
and  that  as  his  names  are,  so  is  he. 

1  Peter  v.  8. 
Adversary,  the  devil  as  a  roaring  lion. 

The  scriptures  have  wonderfully  assisted  the  saints 
to  find  out  the  malice  and  hatred  of  Satan  against 
them,  by  those  names  and  characters  given  to  him, 
which  are  all  names  and  characters  of  enmity.     He 


188  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES- 

is  called  the  accuser,  because  he  accuseth  the  saints 
before  God  day  and  night ;  he  is  called  an  adver- 
sary, and  a  roaring  lion,  because  he  goeth  about 
seeking  whom  he  may  devour ;  he  is  called  the  de- 
stroyer, because  he  maketh  it  his  constant  study  how 
to  destroy  men,  (both  body  and  soul  forever,)  by  his 
temptations  and  devices,  &c.  Oh  !  what  malicious- 
ness Satan  sheweth  against  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  raising  such  opposition  against  it  in  the 
hearts  of  men  ;  and  what  enmity  he  evidences  against 
the  souls  of  men,  by  keeping  them  in  a  constant 
commotion  and  perplexity  of  mind,  and  in  defeating 
all  the  arguments  and  reasonings  of  the  soul  on  the 
nature,  excellency,  necessity,  and  advantage  of  true 
religion.  Thus  Satan  answers  to  his  names  and 
characters,  and  faithfully  keeps  up  his  titles,  and 
prides  himself  in  being  the  God  of  this  world,  the 
spirit  that  works  in  the  children  of  disobedience,  a 
ruler  of  darkness,  and  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air  ;  whom  let  the  saints  resist. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
it  is  safe  for  the  soul  to  resist  Satan  peremptorily'; 
but  dangerous  to  dispute. 

Zechariah  iii.  1,2, 
The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  O  Satan. 

To  make  present  and  peremptory  resistance  against 
Satan's  temptations,  yea,  to  bid  defiance  to  them  at 


against  satan's  devices.  1 85 

yet  loaded  with  temptations.  Job  was  a  perfect  and 
an  upright  man,  and  greatly  praised  by  the  Lord, 
yet  much  tempted  by  the  devil.  Peter  was  greatly 
beloved  and  prized  by  Christ,  yet  much  vexed  with 
temptations.  Paul  had  peculiar  honors  conferred 
upon  him  by  the  Lord,  and  yet  Satan  buffeted  him 
continually,  he.  Now  if  those  that  were  so  really, 
so  gloriously,  and  so  eminently  beloved  of  God, 
have  been  tempted  each  one  in  his  day  by  Satan, 
with  such  inveterate  malice  and  implacable  wrath,  let 
no  saint  be  discouraged,  in  that  he  is  tempted,  to  be- 
lieve he  is  not  beloved  of  God,  because  he  is  vexed 
with  Satan. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
all  the  temptations  that  befal  the  saints  do  in  the  end 
work  together  for  their  good. 

James  i.  2. 
Count  it  all  joy  token  ye  fall  into  dicers  temptations. 

Temptations  are  God's  seminaries  and  schools, 
where  he  teaches  the  choice  lessons  of  experience 
and  grace  ;  a  seminary,  where  he  makes  a  preacher 
of  the  gospel  ;  a  school,  where  the  Lord  teaches  the 
noble  and  powerful  doctrines  of  humility,  compas- 
sion, and  patience  with  one  another.  Ah  !  the 
choice  experiences  that  saints  get  of  the  power  of 
€rod  supporting,  the  wisdom  of  God  directing,  and 
the  love  of  God  encouraging  them  under  every  temp- 
16* 


186  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

tation.  Luther  said,  "  There  be  three  things  that 
make  a  preacher  ;  meditation,  prayer,  and  tempta- 
tion." Herein  God  opens  the  human  heart  to  a 
more  full  and  clear  discovery  of  its  evils  ;  herein  sin 
appears  exceeding  sinful  ;  and  herein  the  vanity  and 
emptiness  of  all  created  good  is  exposed.  And  thus 
the  issue  of  all  temptations  shall  be  the  real  good  and 
advantage  of  the  saints  in  the  end  ;  for  God  is  able 
to  make  all  things  work  together  for  good  unto  them 
that  love  God,  so  that  out  of  the  eater  shall  come 
-forth  meat,  and  out  of  the  strong  shall  come  forth 
sweetness  ;  and  from  those  temptations  saints  learn 
how  to  put  on  and  handle  their  spiritual  weapons, 
and  to  stand  fast  like  valiant  men,  in  the  faith. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
no  temptation  can  harm  the  soul  if  resisted. 

Revelations  iii.  10. 

Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I 

also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of  temptation. 

There  is  no  temptation  that  can  harm  you,  so  long 
as  resistance  is  made  against  it.  'Tis  not  Satan's 
tempting,  but  your  assenting ;  'tis  not  his  enticing, 
but  your  yielding,  that  can  harm  you.  If  the  soul, 
when  tempted,  resists,  and,  with  Christ,  saith  to  the 
temptation,  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan;"  and, 
with  a  certain  young  convert,  say,  "  Begone,  Satan, 
for  I  am  not  the  man  that   I   was ;"  or  as  Luther 


AGAINST    BATAN'S    DEVICES. 

the  first  sight,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  is  your  safe- 
ty ;  but  to  begin,  with  old  mother  Eve,  to  enter  a 
contest,  by  argumentation  and  vain  disputings,  would 
prove  your  ruin  and  sad  defeat.  Mrs.  Catharine 
Eretterge,  once  after  a  great  conflict  with  Satan, 
said,  "  Reason  not  with  trie,  I  am  but  a  weak  woman; 
if  thou  hast  any  thing  to  say,  say  it  to  my  Christ,  he 
is  my  advocate,  my  strength,  and  my  redeemer,  and 
lie  shfell  pi  ■'■  I  my  cause/'  Men  must  not  think  to 
resist  Satan's  craft  with  their  craftiness  ;  he  shoots 
with  Satan  in  his  own  bow,  who  thinks  by  vain  dis- 
puting and  reasoning  to  vanquish  him.  It  is  your 
greatest  wisdom  and  highest  honor  peremptorily  to 
withstand  the  beginnings  of  a  temptation  ;  for  sec- 
ond  thoughts  and  after  remedies  generally  come  too 
late.  Then  let  the  saints  peremptorily  resist  Satan 
at  his  first  appearance  to  insnare  the  soul  :  and  when 
Satan  standeth  at  your  right  hand, 'like  Joshua,  say, 
"  The  Lord  rebuke  thee,  O  Satan." 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
Satan  suits  his  temptations  to  the  constitutions  and 
inclinations  of  the  saints. 

Luke  xxii.  31. 

Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you 

as  wheat. 

Satan  is  a  restless,  subtle,  and  unwearied  enemy, 
who    carefullv  studies   both  the  constitution  and  in- 


190  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

clination  of  the  object  he  intends  to  devour;  there- 
fore he  pries  into  the  various  powers  and  faculties  of 
the  soul  to  find  out  the  most  likely  member  to  ac- 
cept his  device,  and  if  he  finds  your  knowledge  to 
be  weak  and  unstable,  he  will  tempt  you  to  error  ; 
if  your  conscience  be  tender,  he  will  tempt  you  to 
scrupulosity,  and  too  much  preciseness ;  if  your 
conscience  be  liberal  and  large,  he  will  tempt  you  to 
carnal  confidence  and  security;  if  you  are  bold  spir- 
ited, he  will  tempt  you  to  presumption ;  if  you  are 
timorous,  he  will  tempt  you  to  desperation  ;  if  flexi- 
ble, to  inconstancy  ;  if  proud,  to  stiffness  and  gross 
folly,  &c;  therefore,  when  you  have  obtained  one 
victory,  do  not  cast  aside  your  bow,  but  be  ready  to 
meet  a  second  and  a  third  :  and,  certainly,  he  only 
who  makes  a  strong  and  constant  resistance  can  gain 
the  conquest,  and  put  his  enemy  to  flight,  and  be  de- 
clared conqueror.  Still  let  us  remember,  that  it  is 
but  for  a  season  that  Satan  departs  from  us,  that  he 
may  return  with  more  force. 


against  satan's  devices.  191 


CHAP.  XXIV. 

SATAN  HATH  HIS  DEVICES  TO  DESTROY  AND  INSNARE 
THE  GREAT  AND  HONORABLE  IN  THE  WORLD.  HIS 
FIRST  DEVICE  IS  BY  WORKING  THEM  UP  TO  SEEK 
THEMSELVES  IN  THEIR  GREATNESS. 

Esther  vi.  6. 

Hainan  thought  in  his  heart,   To   whom  would  the 

king  delight  to  do  honor,  fyc,  but  to  myself. 

Now,  saith  Satan,  the  Lcrd  has  given  you  both 
riches  and  honor  ;  you  ought  therefore,  to  study 
how  you  can  best  establish  yourselves,  and  your 
children  after  you,  in  the  high  and  honorable  circle 
of  life  Providence  has  placed  you  in  :  and  the  only 
way  to  keep  up  your  greatness  and  honorableness 
amongst  men,  is  by  a  diligent  attention  to  your  own 
selves:  seek  your  own  glory  and  greatness;  try 
to.advantage  yourselves  by  raising,  enriching,  and 
securing  yourselves  in  those  high  and  honorable 
titles  and  places  in  the  world.  Oh  !  saith  Satan, 
it  does  not  become  a  nobleman,  a  statesman,  nor 
a  monarch,  to  trouble  themselves  with  religion,  or 
to  make  themselves  so  little  in  the  world  as  to  be 
found  amongst  the  poor,  despised  worshippers  of 
God.  See  Pharaoh,  Ahab,  Rehoboam,  Jeroboam, 
Absalom,   Joab,  Haman,  he.     But  were  the  scrip- 


192 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


tures  silent,  our  own  observation  and  experience 
do  abundantly  evidence  the  way  and  the  method  of 
Satan  to  destroy  the  great  and  honorable,  to  bury 
their  names  in  the  dust  and  their  souls  in  hell,  by 
drawing  them  wholly  to  mind  themselves  in  all 
things,  to  love  themselves,  to  seek  themselves,  and 
to  enlarge,  enrich  and  ennoble  themselves,  that  they 
may  be   :reat  and  honorable  in  the  earth. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Solemnly  to  consider  that  self-love  and 
self-seeking  is  attended  with  a  train  of  evils  and 
sins. 

2  Timothy  Hi.  2. 
For  men  shall  be  lovers  of  their  own  selves. 

Self-seeking  is  a  sin  that  puts  men  upon  a 
world  of  other  sins;  upon  sins  not  only  against  the 
of  God  and  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  but  that 
are  against  the  very  laws  of  nature.  It  was  this 
that  put  the  Pharisees  upon  opposing  Christ,  Judas 
upon  betraying,  and  Pilate  upon  condemning 
Christ;  this  put  Gehazi  upon  lying,  Balaam  upon 
cursing,  and  Saul  and  Absalom  upon  plotting  Da- 
vid's ruin.  What  but  self-seeking  put  Pharaoh 
and   Haman  upon  contriving  to  destroy  the  Jews  ? 


193 

Self-clory  and  honor  put  men  upon  the  ways  and 
means  of  oppression  and  violence,  that  they  would 
sell  the  righteous  for  silver,  and  the  poor  tor  a  pair 
of  shoes,  &c;'  it  constrains  men  to  use  wicked  bal- 
ances, and  the  bag  of  deceitful  weights.  Self-seek- 
ing is  like  a  deluge,  that  threatens  to  overthrow  the 
world ;  and  the  love  of  self  is  the  root  of  all  hatred 
of  others ;  first  lovers  of  their  own  selves,  then  cov- 
etous, boasters,  proud,  blasphemers,  &c,  and  then 
fierce,  despisers  of  those  that  are  good,  and  so  be- 
come finally  lovers  of  pleasures  more  than  lovers 
of  God,  having  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying 
the  power  thereof:  from  such  turn  away. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
self-seeking  doth  exceedingly  abase  a  man. 

EzEKlEL  xxi.  25,  26,  27. 
Exalt  him.  that  is  low  and  abase  him  that  is  high. 

So  much  of  self  doth  strip  the  great  and  honor- 
able of  all  their  royalty  and  glory,  and  render  them 
low  and  unworthy  in  the  esteem  of  wise  and  pru- 
dent men.  Of  a  lord,  an  esquire,  &ic.  it  makes  a 
man  become  a  servant  to  the  creature,  yea,  a  slave 
to  slaves,  as  you  may  see  in  the  word  of  God  of 
various  persons  and  characters,  who  have  destroyed 
themselves  through  too  much  self-seeking.  It  is 
this  that  transforms  a  man  into  all  shapes  and  forms, 
now  as  an  angel  of  light,  anon  as  an  angel  of  dark- 
17 


194  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

ness  ;  at  this  moment  deciding  for  God  and  for  true? 
religion,  in  the  next  plainly  and  openly  opposing 
both  ;  at  one  time  supporting  the  cause  of  the  poor 
and  needy,  and  at  another  distressing  and  casting 
of  them  down  to  the  ground.  Self-seekers,  whether 
among  the  great  and  honorable,  or  among  the  mid- 
dle and  lower  class  of  men,  are  the  basest  of  per- 
sons; for  there  is  nothing  so  base,  so  low,  and  so 
poor,  but  what  they  will  bow  down  to,  in  order  to 
indulge  self.  Oh  !  that  the.  great  and  honorable 
may  not  abase  themselves,  to  their  utter  ruin,  by 
seeking  self  in  all  that  the}' do. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  God  of  glory  hath  denounced  heavy  woes  upon 
self-seekers. 

Micah  ii.  1,  2. 
Wo  to   them  that  devise  iniquity,  Sfc. 

Seriously  consider  that  God  hath  poured  out 
dreadful  curses  and  woes,  in  that  holy  book  called 
the  Bible,  upon  all  self-seekers,  whether  high  or 
low,  rich  or  poor,  noble  or  ignoble.  As  woe  to 
them  that  join  house  to  house,  that  lay  field  to  field, 
till  there  be  no  place,  that  they  may  be  placed 
alone  in  the  midst  of  the  earth :  so  woe  to  him  that 
increaseth  that  which  is  not  his,  and  to  him  that 
ladeth  himself  with  thick  clay.  Habakkuk  ii.  6,  9, 
10,  11,  12.     Woe  to  him  that  coveteth  an  evil  cov- 


against  satan's  devickh.  196 

eteousness  to  his  house,  tliat  he  may  set  his  nest  on 
high,  &ic.  Woe  to  him  that  buildeth  a  town  with 
blood,  and  that  established  a  city  by  iniquity.  The 
materials  of  a  house  built  by  oppression,  shall  come- 
as  joint-witnesses;  the  stones  of  the  wall  shall  cry, 
Lord,  we  were  built  by  blood  and  violence ;  and 
the  beams  shall  answer,  True,  Lord,  even  so  it  is. 
And  woe  unto  them  that  decree  unrighteous  decrees, 
&c,  that  turn  aside  the  needy  from  judgment,  and 
take  away  the  right  from  the  poor,  Slc.  Isaiah  xv. 
1,  2.  By  these  scriptures  you  see  that  self-seekers 
labor  like  a  woman  in  travail,  but  their  birth  proves 
their  death. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider  the 
noble  example  of  those  worthy  saints  ajid  great  men, 
recorded  in  the  scriptures,  who  all  lived  a  life  of 
self-denial. 

Nehemiah  v.  14,  15. 

Yea>  even  their  servants   bear  rule  over  the  people  ; 
but  so  have  not  i,  because  of  the  fear  of  God. 

What  bright  and  illustrious  examples  of  saints 
and  nobles,  that  have  denied  themselves,  and  prefer- 
red the  public  good  before  their  own  particular  ad- 
vantage, may  be  found  among  both  human  and  di- 
vine records,  that  are  worthy  of  your  imitation  ! 
Moses  was  a  man  of  a  noble  spirit,  though  a  great 
man  and  a  ruler  :  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  "  1  will 


196  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

destroy  this  people,  and  blot  out  their  name  from 
under  heaven;  and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  nation 
mightier  and  greater  than  they."  Oh  !  but  this  of- 
fer would  not  take  with  Moses  ;  for  he  began  to  pray 
for  .the  people  of  Israel,  and  refused  to  give  the 
Lord  any  rest  until  he  had  pardoned  them.  Ah  ! 
should  God  make  such  an  offer  to  many  who  are 
called  great,  &,c,  in  our  time,  what  would  become 
of  the  poor  and  the  needy?  Augustus  Caesar  loved 
his  -people  and  commonwealth  so  highly,  that  he 
called  it  his  own  daughter,  and  refused  to  be  called 
lord  over  his  country,  only  styling  himself  a  father 
of  his  people.  But  above  all,  let  me  not  forget  to 
give  you  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  be- 
gotten Son  of  God,  who  emptied  himself  and  be- 
came poor,  that  he  might  enrich,  save  and  glorify 
poor  sinners.  Oh  !  that  our  great  and  honorable 
men  would  remember  Jesus  Christ. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
self-seeking  is  a  great  let  and  hindrance  to  the  soul 
in  divine  objects. 

Jeremiah  xlv.  5. 

Seekest  thou  great  things  for  thyself?     Seek   them 

not. 

This  solemn  truth  you  might  learn  from  the  con- 
duct of  the  prophets,  and  apostles  of  Jesus  Christ, 
who,  when  they  were    favored  with    some  unusual 


Against  »atan's  devices.  197 

discovery  and  vision  from  God,  were  generally  car- 
ried out  of  themselves,  even  to  the  loss  of  their  own 
peace,  &c.  Self  blinds  the  soul,  that  it  cannot  see 
the  beauty  of  Christ,  nor  any  excellency  in  holi- 
ness ;  it  distempers  the  palate,  that  a  man  cannot 
taste  sweetness  in  the  Word  of  God,  nor  in  the 
ways  of  God,  nor  in  the  society  of  the  people  of 
God;  it  shuts  the  hand  against  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ,  and  hardens  the  heart  against  all 
the  kind  and  gracious  entreaties  of  Christ.  Self 
makes  the  soul  an  empty  vine  and  a  barren  wilder- 
ness. There  cannot  be  a  greater  hindrance  to  the 
soul  in  all  the  duties  of  piety  than  self-seeking. — 
Oh  !  this  is  that  enemy  that  keeps  many  precious 
souls  from  looking  after  God  and  the  glorious 
things  of  eternity  ;  and  that  causeth  them  to  neg- 
lect and  disregard  the  things  that  make  for  their 
peace.  Oh!  that  you  would  first  seek  the  king- 
dom of  God,  and  his  righteousness,  that  all  other 
things   might  be  added  unto  you   in  covenant  love. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to   consider,  that 
self-seekers  are  self  losers  and  self-destroyers. 
17* 


198  precious  remedies 

Obadiah  3,  4. 

The  pride  of  thine  heart  hath  deceived    thee,    Spc. 

I  will  bring  thee  down  saith  the  Lord. 

Absalom  and  Judas  seek  themselves,  and  hang 
themselves;  Saul  seeks  himself,  and  kills  himself ; 
Ahab  s  eks  himself,  and  loses  himself,  his  crown, 
and  kingdom;  Pharaoh  seeks  himself,  and  over- 
throws himself  and  his  mighty  army  in  the  Red 
Sea;  Cain  sought  himself,  and  slew] two  at  oncet 
his  brother  and  his  own  soul;  Haman  sought  him- 
self, and  lost  himself;  the  princes  and  presidents 
sought  themselves  and  the  ruin  of  Daniel,  but  ru- 
ined themselves,  their  wives  and  children.  That 
which  self-seekers  think  should  be  a  staff  to  support 
them,  becomes  (by  the  hand  of  justice)  an  iron  rod 
to  break  them  ;  that  which  they  would  have  as 
springs  to  refresh  them,  becomes  a  gulf,  utterly  to 
consume  them.  The  crosses  of  self-seekers  shall 
always  exceed  their  mercies;  their  pain,  their  pleas- 
ure ;  and  their  torments,  their  comforts.  Every 
self-seeker  is  a  self-tormentor,  a  self-destroyer  ;  he 
carries  a  hell,  an  executioner  in  his  own  bosom. 
Oh  !  that  all,  both  great  and  small,  that  seek  them- 
selves, may  remember  these  things,  and  depart  from 
that  dangerous  thing  self,  and  may  find  pardon  and 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen. 


against  satan's  devices.  199 


CHAP.  XXV. 

THE  SECOND  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  INSNARE  AND  DE- 
STROY THE  WISE,  THE  GREAT,  AND  THE  HONORA 
BLE  IN  THE  WORLD,  IS  BY  ENGAGING  THEM  AGAINS  i 
THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  MOST  HIGH. 

Acts  xxvi.  11. 

Being  exceedingly  mad  against  them. 

Now,  saith  Satan,  the  learned  and  the  wise  in  the 
world  are  not  to  be  brought  upon  the  same  low  and 
illiterate  condition  with  the  vulgar  and  unlearned  ; 
your  parts  and  faculties  are  more  noble  and  refined, 
and  must  be  therefore  capable  to  understand  all 
things  needful  in  matters  of  religion,  and  have  ajust 
right  to  enforce  your  doctrines  with  all  the  authority 
and  powers  vested  in  you,  (as  the  wisdom  of  the  wise 
is  found  in  you,)  only  to  interpret  scripture  doctrine, 
and  to  declare  others,  who  may  oppose  you,  to  be 
erroneous  and  schismatics.  To  the  great  and  hon- 
orable, Satan  saith,  You  see  those  foolish  and  igno- 
rant people  that  will  not  obey  the  authority  of  the 
learned,  but  will  still  goon  professing  things  that  are 
too  high  for  them  to  comprehend,  and  things  which 
neither  our  forefathers  nor  we  can  understand  ;  let  us 
consider  what  steps  we  should  take  to  put  a  stop  to  the 
spreading  of  these  errors:  we  will  use  that  power  and 
authority  which  our  titles  and  estates  have  put  into  our 


200  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

hands,  lo  influence  them  to  obey  us  ;  or  we  must 
have  recourse  to  that  weight  of  legal  authority  which 
our  office  gives  unto  us,  to  restrain-  them.  Thus 
Satan  puts  the  great  and  honorable  upon  the  saints. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Carefully  10  consider,  that  the  sons  of 
God  are  great  and  noble  in  grace  and  holiness,  while 
the  children  of  this  world  are  only  great  and  noble 
in  gifts  and  gold. 

Lam  EN  TAT  IONS  IV.  2. 
The  precious  sons  of  Zion,  comparable  to  fine  gold. 

The  learned  and  the  great  may  transcend  the 
saints  in  parts  and  in  gold,  but  the  far  greater  pari 
of  them,  when  compared  to  the  sons  of  God,  are  both 
poor  and  deficient  in  grace  and  holiness.  There 
may  be,  and  often  we  see  it  is  so,  among  men  of  gifts, 
great  abilities  and  attainments,  though  there  is  little 
or  no  grace  of  God  in  them  ;  and  where  we  find 
but  small  parts  and  abilities  in  the  saints,  there  shall 
we  find  great  grace  and  holiness.  You  may  be 
higher  than  others  in  gifts  of  knowledge,  utterance, 
learning,  &c,  and  those  very  souls  that  you  despise 
are  higher  in  their  communion  with  God,  in  their  de- 


A(;.vrNST  satan's  devices.  201 

lighting  .in  God,  in  their  clepentlancc  upon  Go  I,  in 
their  affections  to  God,  and  in  their  humble,  holy, 
and  unblameable  walking  before  God.  It  is  folly  and 
madness  in  a  man  to  make  light  of  and  slight  anoth- 
er, because  he  is  not  so  wise,  so  rich,  or  so  honora- 
ble in  titles  or  in  yellow  dust  as  he,  when  he  is  a 
thousand  thousand  times  greater  and  richer  in  jewels 
and  pearls  than  he.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  will  not 
always  suffer  his  choicest  jewels  of  grace  and  holi- 
ness to  be  buried  under  the  straw  and  stubble  of  gifts 
and  abilities.  Let  me  therefore  entreat  the  wise,  the 
great,  and  the  honorable  of  the  earth,  to  consider, 
that  grace  and  holiness  are  the  best  riches. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider, 
that  your  gifts  wither  away,  your  finest  parts  are 
blasted,  and  your  titles  perish  forever  in  the  dust ; 
but  the  saints  endure,  and  reign  in  grace  and  holi- 
ness for  ever  and  ever. 

Proverbs  x.  25. 
The  wicked  is  no  more  ;  but  the  righteous  is  an  ever- 
lasting foundation. 

■ 
Saints   are    God's  jewels.     How  rare,  precious, 

comely,  excellent,  and  useful!  With  what  care  and 
exactness  are  they  sought  out  by  the  Lord !  How 
highlyjare  they  polished  by  himself;  and  how  bright- 
ly must  they  shine  before  him  for  ever  in  his  glory ! 
Saints  are  comparable  to  fine  gold  :  how  the  furnace 


202  PRECIOUS     REMEDIES 

of  affliction  purges  away  their  dross,  and  refines 
them  as  gold  and  silver  are  refined !  And  how 
highly  the  Lord  esteems  them,  as  his  portion  and 
wealth  !  Yea,  the  saints  are  the  apple  of  God's  eye: 
how  dear  to  him,  how  carefully  defended  and  pre- 
served by  him  !  How  deeply  he  sympathizes  with 
them  !  And  how  highly  is  lie  provoked  with,  and 
incensed  against  them  that  injure  them  ?  for  they 
touch  the  apple  of  his  eye.  There  is  no  readier 
way  for  men,  in  all  their  greatness  and  glory,  to 
wither  away  and  die,  than  to  pride  themselves  in 
their  gifts  and  abilities,  and  employ  them  against  the 
saints,  against  the  men  whom  God  loves,  and  whom 
Jesus  Christ  has  set  his  heart  upon.  Oh  !  that  the 
wise,  the  great,  and  honorable  in  the  land,  would 
think  upon  these  jewels  and  rich  pearls  in  Christ's 
crown;  and  seek,  above  all  things,  to  be  found  in 
him. 

'The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
none  have  engaged  against  the  saints,  but  have  been 
ruined  by  the  God  of  saints. 

Zechariah  ii.  8.. 
He  that  ioucheth  you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

Divine  justice  hath  been  too  hard  for  all  that  have 
opposed  the  saints  :  he  hath  reproved  kings  for  their 
sakes,  saying,  "  Touch  not  mine  anointed,  nor  do 
ray  prophets  no  harm."     When  men  of  Pharoah's. 


against  Satan's  devices.  203 

Balaam's  and  Hainan's  spirits  and  principles  have 
been  engaged  against  the  saints,  how  hath  the  angel 
of  the  Lord  met  them  in  the  way,  and  jostled  their 
bones  against  the  wall  !  How  hath  he  broken  their 
backs  and  necks,  and  by  his  sword  cut  them  off  in 
the  prime  of  their  days  and  in  the  height  of  their 
sins  !  Ah  !  how  hath  divine  justice  poured  out  their 
blood  as  water  upon  the  ground  !  How  hath  he 
laid  their  honor  and  glory  in  the  dust,  who,  in  the 
pride  and  madness  of  their  hearts  said,  as  Pharoah, 
"  We  will  pursue,  we  will  overtake,  we  will  divide 
the  spoils;  our  lusts  shall  be  satisfied  upon  them," 
&c.  But  in  the  things  wherein  they  have  spoken 
proudly,  justice  hath  been  above  them :  history 
abounds  in  nothing  more  than  in  instances  of  this 
kind.  Oh !  my  friends,  what  a  harvest  hath  hell 
had  in  the  days  that  are  past  of  those  who  have  en- 
gaged against  the  Lamb,  and  those  that  are  called 
chosen  and  faithful  !  Oh  !  that  you  may  never  for- 
get these  things. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  you  are  much  obligated  and  indebted  to  the 
saints  for  all  the  mercies  you  enjoy. 

Genesis  xviii.  26. 
I  will  spare  all  the  place  for  their  sakes. 

Were  it  not  for  the  saints'  sake,  God  would  quick- 
ly make  the  heavens  to  be  as  brass,  and  the  earth  as 


904  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

iron  :  they  are  the  props  that  bear  up  the  world 
from  falling  about  thy  ears,  and  ihat  keep  the  iron 
rod  from  breaking  thy  bones  to  pieces.  Ah  !  had 
not  the  saints  many  times  cast  themselves  into  the 
breach  betwixt  God's  wrath  and  you,  you  had  surely 
been  cut  off  from  the  land  of  the  living.  Many  a 
nation,  many  a  city,  many  a  family,  and  many  an  in- 
dividual is  surrounded  with  blessings,  and  has  escap- 
ed severe  judgments,  for  Joseph's  sakes  that  live 
among  them  :  had  it  not  been  for  their  sakes,  God 
would  have  stript  thee  of  thy  robes  and  glory,  and 
have  set  thee  upon  the  dunghill.  Mary,  queen  of 
Scots,  said,  "I  am  more  afraid  of  the  prayers  of 
John  Knox  than  an  army  of  ten  thousand  men." 
"  When  the  danger  is  over  the  saint  is  forgotten," 
is  a  French  proverb.  The  emperor  Marcus  Anto- 
nius,  being  in  great  distress,  with  his  whole  arm}', 
and  likely  to  perish  for  want  of  water,  one  of  his 
lieutenants  told  him,  that  he  had  heard  that  the  chris- 
tians could  obtain  any  thing  of  God,  by  their  pray- 
ers ;  he  called  for  all  the  christians  in  his  army,  and 
desired  them  to  pray ;  they  readily  obeyed,  and  the 
Lord  sent  deliverance. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
you  cannot  engage  against  the  saints,  but  you  must 
also  engage  against  God  himself. 


against  satan's  di.vk  es.  20$ 

Acts  v.  38,  39. 

Let  them  alone  ;  lest  ye  be  found  even  to  fight  against 

God. 

Seriously  consider,  that  to  right  against  a  saint  is 
to  fight  against  God  himself;  and  who  ever  engaged 
against  God  and  prospered  ?  Or  who  ever  took  up 
the  sword  against  him,  but  perished  by  the  sword? 
God  can  confound  you  in  a  moment,  and  by  the 
word  of  his  mbuth  can  send  you  to  hell,  (at  his  sove- 
reign will  and  pleasure,)  before  you  can  put  into  ex- 
ecution any  one  of  your  wicked  counsels  against  the 
saints  ;  yea,  and  even  turn  your  very  counsels  into 
foolishness,  and  cause  it  to  fall  upon  your  own  heads. 
See,  then,  that  you  cannot  fight  against  the  saints, 
but  you  must  engage  with  God  himself.  And  what 
greater  madness  can  you  display,  than  for  weakness 
itself  to  fight  against  almighty  strength  ?  There  is 
a  near  and  gracious  union  between  God  and  his 
saints,  more  sacred  and  noble' than  all  the  unions  up- 
on earth:  this  union  is  so  near,  that  you  cannot 
strike  a  believer  but  you  must  smite  the  Lord  ;  there- 
fore he  called  out  to  one,  saying,  "Saul,  Saul,  why 
persecutest  thou  me  ?  It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick 
against  the  pricks."  Oh  !  be  it  your  greatest  con- 
cern to  lay  down  your  weapons  at  his  feet,  and  to 
kiss  the  son  of  God. 


18 


•JUO  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES  - 

The  sixth  Remedy  is.  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
the  wise,  the  great,  and  the  honorable  stand  in  the 
same  need  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  poor  and  needy  ; 
and  there  is  every  thing  in  him  to  encourage  the 
rich,  (as  wjell  as  the  poor,)  believing  in  him. 

Romans  x.  11,  12. 
The  same  Lord  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him. 

Though  it  be  said,   not  many  wise  men   after  the 
flesh,  not  many  mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called  ; 
yet,  blessed  be  God,  it  does  not  say,   not  any  wise, 
not  any  mighty,  or  not  any  noble  after  the  flesh  are 
called.     There  are  sufficient  evidences  in  the  scrip- 
ture  of  some  wise,  some   mighty,   and  some  noble 
persons   and   kings,   who   have    believed    on  Jesus 
Christ  to  the  saving  of  their  souls:  and  thank  God 
he  has  not  left  himself  without  witnesses   among  the 
great  in  these  days.     If  you  look  upon  the  names, 
titles,  offices,  nature  and  disposition  of  Jesus  Chris^ 
you  will  find  nothing  to  discourage  the  great  or  the 
noble  to  look  unto  him  and  be  saved.     Christ  is  the 
soul's  greatest  good,  the  choicest  good,  the  chiefest 
good,  and  the  most  necessary  good  to  all  sensible  sin- 
ners, whether  among  the  rich  or  the  poor.     Are  you 
poor  ?  Christ  hath  gold  to  enrich  you.  Are  you  na- 
ked ?    Christ  hath  white  raiment  to  clothe  you.  Are 
you  blind  ?    Christ  hath  eye-salve  to  enlighten  you. 
Are  you  hungry  ?     Christ  will  be  the  true  manna  to 


w;un\st  baton's  devices.  Wm 

feed  you.    Are  you  thirsty?  He  will  be  a  well  of  living- 
water  to  refresh  you.  Are  you  sick?  He  is  a  physician 
to  cure  you.     And  are  you  wounded,  or  a  prison* 
He  has  healing  under  his  wings,    and   lie  can  com- 
mand your  prison  doors  to  be  opened. 


208  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  XXVI. 

satan  hath  #is  devices  to  destrq 

god.  and  his  first  device  13  by  working  them 
up  to  be  strange,  jealous,  and  then  to  divide 
from  one  another. 

Galatians  v.  15. 

But  if  ye  bite    aud   devour  one  another,   take   heed 

that  ye  be  not  consumed. 

Satan's  main  glory  over  the  Christian  and  pro- 
fessing world,  is  in  the  separations  and  divisions 
which  he  encourages  in  the  pride  of  the  human  heart, 
by  creating  a  shyness  with  one  another,  and  then 
working  them  up  to  be  strange  and  dissatisfied  with 
each  other,  until  jealousy  creeps  in  amongst  them, 
and  then  nothing  can  do  but  a  rent  ;  a  division  takes 
place,  and  Satan  cherishes  the  flame  ;  the  pride  of 
the  heart  carries  forward  the  contest,  and  justifies 
each  party  to  be  in  the  right ;  they  divide,  they  be- 
gin to  bite  and  devour  one  another.  Now  profes- 
sing people  become  the  worst  of  enemies  to  one 
another,  and  will  both  preach  and  work  against  one 
another,  as  if  they  were  each  party  contending  for 
different  kingdoms  and  inheritances.  Satan  thus 
comes  off  victorious   over  religion.     See,  saith    he. 


against  satan's  devices.  209 

to  the  world,  what  a  people  those  professing  saints 
are  !  Who  more  envious,  hateful,  and  contentious 
than  they  ?  Their  religion  cannot  be  right,  be- 
cause they  cannot  keep  together  ;  but  divide  into  so 
many  parties,  doctrines,  and  modes  of  worship. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.     Carefully  to  consider,  that  love  and  unity 
make  most  for  your  own  safety  and  security. 

Ephesians  iv  3. 

Endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit,  8?c. 

If  the  professing  friends  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  were  but  of  one  heart  and  mind,  where  is  the 
power  or  enemy  that  could  harm  them  ?  The  world 
may  frown  upon  you,  and  Satan  and  men  may  plot 
against  your  peace,  but  they  cannot  prevail.  Unity 
is  the  best  bond  of  safety  in  every  church  and  com- 
monwealth :  we  shall  be^  insuperable  if  we  be  insep- 
arable. There  was  a  temple  of  Concord  amongst 
the  heathens,  &c;  should  it  not  be  so  amongst  Chris- 
tians, who  are,  or  who  ought  to  be,  the  temples  of* 
the  Holy  Ghost  ?  How  lively  is  this  doctrine  repre- 
sented in  the  conduct  of  a  certain  king,  that  gave 
his  last  and  dying  advice  to  eighty  sons,  by  com- 
18* 


210  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

manding  a  bundle  of  arrows,  fast  bound  together,  to 
be  given  to  them  to  break  ?  They  all  tried,  but 
they  could  not  break  one  of  the  arrows,  because 
they  were  so  fast  bound  together:  the  king  then  or- 
dered the  band  to  be  cut,  and  his  sons  to  try  again ; 
they  did  so,  and  readily  broke  them  all.  Then  the 
royal  father  applied  it  thus  :  "  My  sons,  so  long  as 
you  keep  together  you  will  be  invincible  ;  but  if  the 
band  of  union  be  broke,  you  will  be  broken  in  pie- 
ces." So  long  as  the  sons  of  God  keep  together  they 
conquer. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  dwell  more 
upon  one  another's  graces,  than  upon  one  another's 
weaknesses. 

Phillipians  ii.  1,  2,  3,  4. 
Look  not  .every  man  on  his  own  tilings,  but,  6fC. 

It  is  a  sad  thing  that  saints  should  have  many  eyes 
to  behold  one  another's  infirmities,  and  not  one  eye 
to  see  each  other's  graces.  Vespasian  was  more  rea- 
dy to  conceal  the  vices  of  his  friends  than  their  vir- 
tues. Can  we  seriously  think  of  this  condnct  of  an 
heathen,  and  not  blush  ?  Tell  me,  ye  saints,  is  it  not 
a  more  sweet,  comfortable,  and  delightful  thing  to 
look  more  upon  one  another's  graces,  than  upon  one 
another's  weaknesses  ?  What  pleasure,  what  delight, 
or  what  comfort  can  there  be  in  looking  upon  the 
enemies,  the  wounds,  the  sores,  the   sicknesses,   the 


against  satan's  devices.  211 

diseases,  and  the  nakedness  of  your  friends  ?  Sin 
and  infirmities  are  the  soul's  enemies,  the  soul's 
wounds,  and  the  soul's  sicknesses,  &c.  &c.  Ah  ! 
what  a  heart  hath  that  man  or  woman  got,  that  loves 
to  dwell  upon  those  things  that  cause  both  pain 
and  shame  in  every  sincere  Christian  !  Doth  not 
God  himself  look  more  upon  the  graces  of  his  peo- 
ple than  upon  their  weaknesses  ?  Yea,  God  puts  his 
fingers  upon  the  scars  of  his  people,  that  no  blemish 
may  be  found  upon  them.  Let  us  resemble  our 
heavenly  Father. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider  the 
tilings  wherein  the  saints  are  agreed  and  satisfied 
with  each  other. 

Ephesians  v.  1,  2. 
Followers  of  God,  as  dear  children,  §c. 

Oh  !  that  you  could  but  dwell  more  upon  those 
choice  and  excellent  things  wherein  the  saints  are  at 
peace  and  in  union  with  one  another,  rather  than 
upon  those  things  wherein  they  differ,  how  soon 
should  we  see  sinful  hearts  and  tempers  changed,  and 
love,  fellowship,  and  concord  in  sweet  abundance 
flow  to  every  pious  soul !  The  saints  are  agreed  in 
most  interesting  and  essential  truths,  and  differ, 
comparatively,  in  a  few  things :  they  agree  in  the 
greatest  and  weightiest  matters  concerning  God,  Je- 
sus Christ,  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  scriptures,  he.     Oh! 


212  PRECfOPS    REMEDIES 

what  a  sad  thing  it  was  for  a  heathen  (reproving' 
Christians)  to  reproach  Christianity  with  saying, 
**  Beasts  are  not  so  cruel  and  mischievous  to  men,  as 
the  Christians  are  to  one  another."  Shall  Herod 
and  Pilate  agree  ?  Shall  Turks  and  Pagans  agree? 
Shall  bears  and  lions,  tigers  and  wolves,  yea,  shall  a 
legion  of  devils  agree  in  one  body;  and  shall  not 
aint5  agree,  who  differ  only  in  such  things  as  have 
least  of  the  heart  of  God  in  them,  and  that  shall  nev- 
er keep  them  from  meeting  in  heaven  ? 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
it  is  your  duty  to  judge  your  own  selves. 

1  Corinthians  xi.  31. 
For  if  we  would  judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be 

judged. 

Were  Christians  more  taken  up  in  judging  them- 
selves, and  condemning  their  own  selves,  they  would 
not  be  so  apt  to  judge  and  censure  others,  and  to 
carry  themselves  so  bitterly  and  evilly  towards  those 
that  differ  from  them.  There  are  no  souls  in  the 
world  that  are  so  careful  and  fearful  to  judge  oth- 
ers, as  those  who  do  most  faithfully  judge  themselves; 
nor  prudent  in  making  a  righteous  judgment  of  men 
and  things,  as  those  who  cautiously  judge  their  own 
hearts :  there  are  none  that  make  such  sweet  con- 
structions and  charitable  interpretations  of  men  and 
things,  as  those  that  are  diligent  in  finding  out  their 


AGAINST  SATAN  S  DEVICES. 


210 


own  hearts ;  there  are  none  in  the  world  that  trem- 
ble to  think  evil,  to  speak  evil,  or  to  do  evil  to  oth- 
ers, as  those  thqt  acquaint  themselves  with  their  own 
evils.  One  request  I  have  to  make  to  you  that  live 
much  in  judging  others,  and  are  tdo  great  strangers 
in  judging  yourselves  ;  to  you  that  are  so  prone  to 
judge  and  condemn  rashly,  falsely,  and  unrighteously; 
and  that  is,. that  you  will  ever.y  morning  dwell  a  lit- 
tle time,  attentively  upon  these  scriptures  :  Matthew 
vii.  1,  2.  John  vii.  24.  "Judge  not  according  to 
the  appearance,"  he.  Romans  xiv.  3,  4.  "  Who 
art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant?"  he. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
the  miseries  of  discord  and  strife  amongst  the  follow- 
ers of  Christ,  are  great  and  ruinous  to  the  interest 
of  true  religion. 

James  iii.  14,  16. 

For  where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion 

and  every  evil  work. 

Ah  !  how  doth  the  name  of  Christ  and  the  truth 
of  Christ,  bleed  and  suffer  by  the  discord  of  pro- 
fessing people  !  How  are  many  souls,  that  are  en- 
tering into  the  ways  of  God,  hindered  and  sadly 
cast  back  again  into  the  world,  and  the  mouths  of 
the  wicked  opened,  and  their  hearts  hardened 
against  God,  and  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  des- 
pised, preachers    and  preaching   set  at  nought,  and 


214  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

esteemed  foolishness  !  &c.  How  are  the  saints  of 
God  distressed,  and  weak  minds  turned  out  of  the 
right  way,  whilst  enemies  are  strengthened  and  dai- 
ly increased,  and  the  wicked  rejoice  to  see  discord 
and  strife  abound  among  the  followers  of  the  Lamb! 
Remember  that  the  disagreement  of  the  saints  is 
the  devil's  triumph.  Dissolution  is  the  daughter 
of  dissention.  It  was  a  notable  saying  of  one, 
"  Take  away  strife,  and  call  back  peace,  lest  thou 
lose  a  man  thy  friend,  and  the  devil,  an  enemy,  re- 
joice over  you  both."  Who  can  sufficiently  admire 
the  spirit  and  conduct  of  Abraham  towards  Lot  ? 
Genesis  xiii.  8.  Let  there  be  no  bitterness  nor  dis- 
sension between  us  for  we  are  brethren.  So  let  the 
saints  consider  one  another  as  fellow  members  of 
the  same  body,  as  fellow  soldiers  under  the  same 
captain,  as  fellow  sufferers  under  the  same  enemies, 
and  as  fellow  travelers  and  citizens,  and  fellow  heirs 
of  the  same  crown  he. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
it  is  no  disparagement  to  a  saint  to  be  first  in  seeking 
peace  and  union,  but  rather  an  honor. 

Romans  xiv.  19. 

Let  us  follow  after  the  things  that  make  for  peace, 
Sfc. 

Was  not  Abraham  the  elder,  ano!  a  far  more  great 
and  worthy  man  than  Lotrboth  in  temporals  and  spir- 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVI  2  1 .', 

i'tuals  ?  And  yet  lie  first  seeks  peace  and  union  with 
bis  inferior;  and  the  spirit  of  God  has  recorded  it 
as  an  honor  to  Abraham.  And  shall  I  not  be  justi- 
fied in  saying,  that  the  great  and  glorious  God  is 
first  in  seeking  and  bringing  about  a  peace  between 
himself  and  guilty  sinners  ?  Ah  !  souls,  it  is  not  a 
base  and  low  thing,  but  a  godlike  tiling,  though  we 
are  wronged  by  others,  to  be  the  first  in  seeking  after 
peace.  There  is  a  remarkable  story  of  Aristippus,  a 
heathen,  who  went  of  his  own  accord  to  iEschines, 
his  enemy,  and  said,  "  Shall  we  never  be  reconciled 
till  we  become  a  table  talk  to  all  the  country  ?"  iEs- 
chines answered,  that  he  would  most  gladly  be  at 
peace  with  him.  "Remember,  then,"  said  Aristip- 
pus, "  that  although  I  am  the  elder  and  better  man, 
yet  I  sought  first  unto  thee."  "  Thou  art,  indeed," 
replied  iEschines,  ••  a  far  better  man' than  I ;  for  1 
began  the  qurrael,  but  thou  the  reconcilement." 
Oh  !  let  it  be  your  prayer,  and  mine  also,  that  this 
heathen  may  not  rise  in  judgment  against  the  flour- 
ishing professors  of  these  days.  Psalm  lxiv.  3. 
"  Who  whet  their  tongues  like  a  sword,"  he. 


216  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  XXVII. 

THE  SECOND  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  AND  THE  HUMAN 
HEART  TO  DESTROY  THE  PEACE  OF  THE  SAINTS, 
IS  BY  REPRESENTING  TO  THEM  THE  GREATNESS 
AND  VILENESS  OF  SJN,  TO  KEEP  THE  SOUL  FROM 
RESTING  ON  CHRIST. 

Jeremiah  iii.  5. 

Thou  hast  spoken  and  done    evil   things  as   thou 

couldst. 

What,  saith  Satan,  dost  thou  think  that  thou 
shalt  ever  obtain  mercy  by  Christ,  that  hast  sinned 
with  so  high  a  hand  against  Christ?  Hast  not 
thou  slighted  the  tenders  of  his  grace  ?  Hast  not 
thou  grieved  the  spirit  of  his  grace  ?  Hast  not 
thou  despised  the  word  of  his  grace  ?  And  hast 
thou  not  trampled  under  thy  feet  the  blood  of  his 
covenant,  by  which  alone  thou  mightest  have  been 
saved,  pardoned,  purged,  and  accepted  of  God  ? 
In  short  thou  hast  both  spoken  and  done  all  the 
evil  that  thou  couldest  against  Jesus  Christ,  against 
the  followers  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  against  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ.  No,  no,  saith  Satan  and 
thine  heart,  he  hath  mercy  for  others,  but  not  for 
thee  ;  pardon  for  others,  but  not  for  thee ;  right- 
eousness for  others,  but  not  for  thee ;  therefore  it  is 


AGAINST    SATAN  S    DEVICES. 


217 


all  in  vain  for  thee  to  think  of  believing  in 
Christ,  receiving",  and  embracing  of  Christ,  and 
of  resting  or  reiving  upon  Christ  for  everlasting 
salvation  and  blessedness,  according  to  the  gospel, 
all  which  they  enjoy  who  cast  and  lean  the  whole 
weight  of  their  guilty  souls  upon  him,  as  their 
Lord  and  Saviour  ;  but  as  for  thee,  there  is  no  hope 
that  Christ  can  receive  thee  into  his  arms. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of 
Satan  aqd  the  human  heart  are  these  : 

First.  Carefully  to  consider,  that  the  greater 
your  sins  are,  the  more  you  stand  in  need  of  Jesus 
Christ. 


Isaiah  xliii.  25. 

7,  even  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions, 

for  mine  own  sake,  fyc. 

Surely  the  greater  your  burden  is,  the  more  you 
stand  in  need  of  one  to  bear  it  ;  the  deeper  the 
wound  is,  the  more  need  there  is  of  the  surgeon; 
the  more  dangerous  the  disease  is,  the  more  need 
there  is  of  the  physician.  Who  but  a  madman 
would  argue  thus?  "  My  burden  is  great,  there- 
fore I  will  not  call  out  for  help  ;  my  wound  is  deep, 
therefore  I  will  not  seek  out  for  a  balm  ;  my  disease  is 
dangerous,  therefore  I  will  not  go  to  the  physician." 
19 


218  PRECIOUS     REMEDIES. 

'Tis  spiritual  madness,  'tis  the  devil's  logic  to  ar- 
gue thus:  "  My  sins  are  great,  therefore  I  will  not 
go  to  Christ;  1  dare  not  rest,  lean  and  believe  on 
Christ  for  salvation,"  Sec.  Now  the  Spirit  of  God 
directs  the  soul  to  a  c  reasoning  on  this  sub- 

ject, thus  :  ';  The  greater  my  sins  are,  the  more  I 
stand  in  need  of  Jesus  Christ  to  be  my  Saviour  ;  I 
need  his  mercy  to  pardon,  his  grace  to  keep,  his 
spirit  to  sanctify,  his  blood  to  wash  and  cleanse  me 
from  all  my  sins;  and  I  stand  in  need  of  his  power 
to  support  my  soul  in  corning  to  him:  I  will  there- 
fore arise  and  go  to  Christ  alone  for  help,  in  this  my 
time  of  need  ;  for  who  but  Christ  can  pardon  great 
sins  ?  And  who  like  him  that  delights  to  pardon, 
and  who  is  both  able  and  willing  f" 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider, 
that  the  greatest  sinners  have  obtained  mercy  in 
coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 

1  TlMOMHY  i.  15. 

Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of 

whom  I  am  chief. 

Manassah  was  a  notorious  sinner  ;  he  erected  al- 
tars for  Baal,  he  worshipped  and  served  all  the  hosts 
of  heaven,  he  caused  his  sons  to  pass  through  the  fire, 
he  gave  himself  up  to  wickedness,  and  caused  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem  to  run  down  with  innocent 
blood  ;  yet  after  all  this,  by  the   grace  of  God,  his 


219 


heart  is  humbled,  and  he  seeks  unto  God  fur  mercy 
and  forgiveness;  and  the  Lord  was  entreated  of 
him,  heard  and  accepted  his  supplication  and  crown- 
ed him  with  loving  kindness  <\nd  tender  mercy. 
2  Chronicles  xxxiii.  12,  13.  Mary  Magdalen  was 
a  great  offender,  and  out  of  her  Christ  cast  seven 
devils  ;  yet  she  obtained  mercy  and  pardon  thr< 
Jesus'  blood.  Saul,  of  Tarsus,  was  a  blasphemer, 
a  persecutor,  and  an  injurious  man;  yet  he  also  ob- 
tained mercy.  What  though  thou  art  a  rebellious 
child,  a  vile  sinner,  and  an  unworthy  creature,  yet 
remember  that  Jesus,  after  his  resurrection,  appeared 
first  to  Mary  and  Peter,  two  of  the  greatest  of  sinners, 
and  the  most  unworthy,  in  order  to  comfort  and 
strengthen  the  worst  of  sinners  coming  unto  God 
by  him  ;  Christ  has  ascended  up  on  high  and  received 
gifts  for  thee,  even  for  the  rebellious. 

The  third  Remedy  is  carefully  to  consider,  that 
Jesus  Christ  has  no  where  exempted  the  greatest 
sinner  from  coming  to  him  for  rest  and  salvation. 

John  vi.  37. 

And  him  thai  cometh  to  me  I  will  in   no  ivise  cast 

out. 

Well,  saith  Jesus  Christ,  if  any  man  will  come 
to  me,  let  him  be  more  or  less  sinful,  more  or  less 
worthy  ;  let  him  be  never  so  guilty,  never  so  filthy, 
never  so  rebellious,  and  never  so  leprous,  &tc,  yet 


220  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

if  he  is  a  comer  to  me,  I  will  never  cast  him  oft'. 
Now,  sinner,  art  thou  made  a  willing  soul,  in  the 
day  of  his  power,  this  should  be  thy  encourage- 
ment ;  that  he  that  has  given  thee  desire  to  -  >ek 
rest  and  pardon  in  Jesus,  is  the  very  same  that  e  litb, 
1  will  not  cast  thee  off.  Christ  was  born  in  an  inn, 
to  show  that  he  recieveth  all  that  come;  his  gar- 
ments were  divided  into  four  parts,  to  shew  that 
comers  out  of  all  parts  of  the  earth  shall  find  mercv 
with  him.  Jesus  Christ  is  an  all-sufficient  Saviour, 
therefore  he  can  save  the  greatest  as  well  as  the 
least  of  sinners.  Ah !  coming  souls,  tell  Jesus 
Christ,  that  lie  hath  not  excluded  you  from  mercy, 
&c,  therefore  you  are  resolved  that  you  will  sit, 
wait,  weep,  and  knock  at  mercy's  door,  till  he  shall 
say,  "Soul,  be  of  good  cheer,  your  sins  are  for- 
given," he. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
the  greatness  of  our  sins  (as  coming  souls  to  Jesus 
Christ)  doth  magnify  the  riches  and  freeness  of  the 
love  of  Christ  to  the  vilest  of  the  vile. 

1  Timothy  i.  IG. 

All    long-svffering,    for   a  pattern    to    them  which 
should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  everlasting. 

Yea,  might  I  not  say  to  the  coming  sinner,  that 
the  greater  sinner  thou  seest  thyself  to  be,  the  dear- 
er thou  wilt  be  to  Christ,  when  he  shall  behold  the : 


against  satan's  devices.  221 

as   the  travail   of  his  soul.     Christ  hath  paid  most, 
prayed   most,    sighed    most,   wept   most,    and   bled 
most  for  thee;  therefore  thou  art  dearer  to  him  in 
his  heart ;  as  Jacob  esteemed  Rachel  dearer  to  him 
than  Leah.     The  dearer  we  pay  for  any  thing,  the 
more  we  Jove  and  long  after  that  thing.     Ah  !  com- 
ing,  sensible  sinner,   thou   that  wouldst   gladly  la\ 
ho- d   of  Jesus   as  thy  Lord,    but  Satan  keeps  thee 
back,    through  thy  sins,    learn   that  the  greater  thy 
sins,  the  more  rich  and    free    must  the  grace  and 
love   of  Christ   be  in   thy  acceptance  and    pardon; 
this   maketh     heaven    and   earth    to    ring    with    his 
praise,  that  he  loves  those   that  are  most  unlovely, 
that  he  shows   most  favor  to  them  that   have  sinned 
most  highly  against  him,  and  that  he  can  most  free- 
ly pardon  and  justify  the  ungodly,  that  believe  and 
rest  on  him. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
the  longer  you  believe  Satan,  and  keep  off  from 
embracing  Christ,  the  stronger  your  sins  will  grow. 

1  John  v.  4. 

This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even 

our  faith. 

While  you  keep  off  from  Christ,  you  will  deprive 

yourselves  of  that  strength  and  power  which  alone 

is  able  to  make  you  trample  down  strength,  lead 

captivity  captive,  and   slay  the  great  Goliahs,  that 

19* 


ZZZ  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

bid  defiance  to  Christ.  'Tis  faith  in  Christ  only 
that  binds  the  strong  man,  that  stops  the  issue  of 
blood,  and  that  makes  a  man  strong  in  resisting  and 
happy  in  conquering.  Sin,  great  or  small,  always 
dies  most  where  faith  lives  most ;  the  most  believ- 
ing soul,  is  the  most  sin-mortifying  soul.  Ah  ! 
sinner,  remember  this  ;  that  there  is  no  way  on 
earth  effectually  to  be  ricl  of  the  guilt,  filth,  and 
power  of  sin,  but  by  coming  to  and  believing  on 
Jesus  Christ.  It  is  not  a  soul-resolving,  it  is  not  a 
complaining,  it  is  not  a  mourning  over  sin  and  Sa- 
tan, bul  a  soul-believing,  that  will  make  thee  divine- 
ly victorious  over  that  body  of  sin,  which  to  this 
day,  has  been  too  strong  for  thee :  behold,  thereforer 
the  Lamb  of  God. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
the  promise  of  grace  and  mercy  is  made  to  returning 
or  coming  souls. 

Hebrews  vii.  25. 

Wherefore  he  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  utter- 
most that  come  unto  God  by  him. 

Oh  !  What  exceeding  great  and  precious  promi- 
ses hath  God  made  known  to  coming  sinners  in  the 
gospel?  And,  therefore,  though  thou  art  the  great- 
est of  sinners,  and  ever  so  vile  in  thine  own  eyes, 
yet  if  thou  art  a  comer,  a  returner  unto  God  through 
Jesus  Christ,  thou  shalt  find  meicy;  yea,  God  shall 


223 

foe  thy  God,  Christ  shall  be  thy  Christ,  the  Spirit 
shall  be  thy  Spirit,  to  sanctify  and  comfort  thee  ; 
pardon  shall  be  thine,  justification  shall  be  thine, 
eternal  life  shall  be  thine  ;  yea  all  ihings  in  heaven 
and  in  earth  shall  be  thine,  and  thou  art  Christ's 
for  ever  and  forever.  Ah  !  soul,  it  is  not  thy  great 
sins  and  transgressions  that  exclude  thee  from  mer- 
cy, but  thy  unbelief,  in  not  coming  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Jesus'  heart,  Jesus'  arms  are  opened  wide  to  ac- 
cept every  coming  soul.  It  is,  therefore,  not  simply 
the  greatness  of  thy  sin  and  unworthiness,  but  thy 
peremptorily  persisting  in  sin,  and  rejecting  Jesus 
Christ,  that  will  be  thy  eternal  overthrow,  if  thou 
art  cast  off". 


224  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  XXVIII. 

THE  THIRD  DEVICE  OF  SATAN  TO  KEEP  POOR  SIN- 
NERS FROM  BELIEVING  AND  RESTING  ON  JESUS 
CHRIST,  IS  BY  REPRESENTING  TO  THEM  THEIR 
GREAT  UNWORTHINESS,  AND  WANT  OF  NECESSARY 
QUALIFICATIONS. 

Luke  iii.  S. 
Bring  forth  fruits  worthy  of  repentance. 

Ah  !   saith  Satan,  as  thou  art  worthy  of  the  great- 
est misery,  so  thou   art   unworthy  of  the  least  crum 
of  mercy.      What !   dost  thou  think  that  ever  Christ 
will  own,   receive,  and  embrace    such    an    unworthy 
wretch  as  thou  art  ?     No,  no  :  if  there  was  any  good 
thing  in  thee,   then    Christ  might  be  inclined  to  en- 
tertain thee  for  a  while  at  least ;  but  there  is  no  wor- 
thiness in  thee  to  attract  Christ,  even  so  much  as  in- 
to thine  house  :   and   how  much  more  unworthy  art 
thou  to  entertain  him  in  thy  heart?     Now,  saith  Sa- 
tan if  thou  hadst  but  such   and   such    qualifications 
and  preparations,  then  thou  mighest  expect  the  Lord 
would  accept  thee.      But  thou  art  not  thus  and  thus 
humbled,   sanctified,  and  made  holy  ;  thou   art  not 
heart- sick  of  sin;  thou   hast  not  been  under  such 
alarming  terrors  and  grief  as  others  have  been:  nei- 
ther hast  thou  been  so  deeply  ravished  with  a  sense 


AGAINST  SATAN  S  DEVICES. 


225 


of  Jesus'  love,  and  the  joys  of  heaven,  as  such  and 
such  of  God's  children  have  been. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  this  device  of  Sa- 
tan are  these  : 

First.  Carefully  to  consider,  that  if  the  soul 
must  keep  back  from  Christ  until  it  be  worthy,  the 
soul  will  never  close  with  Christ. 

1  Corinthians  i.  30. 

But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,   who  of  God  is 

made  unto  us  ivisdom,  fyc. 

God  hath  laid  up  all  worthiness  and  qualifications 
for  souls,  (coming  to  Christ,)  in  his  only  begotten 
Son;  and,  therefore,  if  the  soul  will  keep  off  from 
Christ  until  it  be  worthy,  it  will  never  embrace  Christ, 
nor  ever  be  one  with  Christ;  and  there  is  no  way 
which  even  infinite  wisdom  can  find  out  to  make  the 
unworthy  soul  worthy,  but  by  believing,  accepting, 
and  relying  upon  Christ.  Believing  in  Christ,  ot 
slaves,  will  make  you  worthy  sons ;  of  enemies,  it 
will  make  you  worthy  friends.  God  will  count  none 
qualified,  nor  call  any  holy,  nor  carry  himself  to- 
wards any  as  prepared  and  qualified  for  his  presence, 
but  such  as  believe  in  Christ,  and  who  receive  him 
of  God,   made   unto   them  wisdom,    righteousness, 


226 


PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


sanctificatiou,.  and  redemption  ;  and  who  thus  es- 
teem themselves  made  worthy  and  qualified  in  and 
through  Christ's  person,  righteousness,  satisfaction, 
and  intercession.  Lord,  let  me  ever  stand  thus  com- 
plete and  worthy  in  thy  sight  through  Jesus  Christ, 
my  Lord  and  Saviour. 

The  second  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider, 
that  God  hath  no  where  in  ail  the  scriptures  required 
an)"  worthiness  in  the  creature  before  coming  to 
Christ.* 

John  vi.  40. 

That  every  one  which  seeth  the  Son,  and  belie  vet  h 
on  him,  may  have  everlasting  life. 

If  you  make  a  diligent  search  through  all  the 
book  of  God,  you  shall  not  find  (from  the  first  line 
in  Genesis  to  the  last  in  Revelations)  one  word  that 
speaks  out  God's  requiring  any  worthiness  in  the  soul 
before  believing  in  Jesus  Christ  :  and  why,  then, 
should  that  be  made  a  bar  and  hindrance  to  thy  faith, 
which  God  doth  no  where  require  of  thee  before 
thou  comest  to  Christ,  that  thou  mayest  live  ?  The 
law  requires  a  full  and  perfect  obedience ;  but  thou 
art  seeking  life  and  salvation  in  Christ,  who  has 
magnified  the  law,  and  made  it  honorable.  Ah! 
sinner,  Satan  objects  thy  unworthiness  against  thee, 
not  out  of  love  to  holiness,  nor  regard  to  Christ; 
but  only  out  of  a  design  to  keep  Christ  and  thy  soul 


against  satan's  devices.  227 

fcsunder  forever ;  ami  therefore  let  me  advise  thee, 
in  the  face  of  all  thy  tin  worthiness,  to  rest  thy  soul 
upon  Christ  :  come  to  Christ,  embrace  Christ,  yea, 
lean  thy  everlasting  concerns  upon  Christ,  knowing 
that  none  ever  yet  received  Christ  but  unworthy 
souls,  and  souls  who  have  all  lamented  their  imwor- 
thiness  and  their  sins,  and  yet  cast  themselves  at  Je- 
sus'feet,  saying,  "  Save,  Lord,  or  I  perish  forever." 

The  third  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider,  that 
it  is  the  pride  of  thy  heart  that  puts  thee  upon  seek- 
ing worthiness  to  bring  to  Christ. 

Isaiah  lv.  1,  2. 

Wherefore  do  you  spend  your  money  upon  that  which 
is  not  bread,  fyc. 

Let  the  soul  but  search  carefully  the  spring  of  this 
objection  against  closing  with  Christ,  and  you  will 
find  that  the  pride  and  folly  of  your  own  hearts  are 
moving  }'on  to  look  for  worthiness  in  yourselves,  to 
bring  to  Christ.  Oh  !  you  would  fain  bring  some- 
thing to  Christ  that  might  render  you  acceptable  to 
him,  for  you  cannot  think  of  coming  empty  handed  ; 
and  so,  filthy  and  unclean,  could  you  but  wash  away 
the  outward  stain  it  would  give  some  pleasure.  In- 
finite wisdom  and  goodness  calls  upon  you  to  come 
as  you  are,  moneyless,  helpless,  and  hopeless  souls, 
&c,  but  sinners  are  proud  and  foolish,  and  because 
they  have   no  money,  no  worthiness  to  bring,  they 


228  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

will  not  come,  although  he  sweetly  invites  them  to 
come  to  him  without  money  and  without  price,  nor 
of  fitness  fondly  dream ;  for  all  the  fitness  he  re- 
quires, is  for  you  to  see  and  feel  your  need  of  him. 
Ah !  sinners,  remember,  that  it  is  not  so  much  the 
sense  of  your  unworthiness,  as  your  pride,  that  keeps 
you  back  from  embracing  Jesus  Christ.  Oh  !  con- 
sider this,  all  ye  that  spend  your  money  for  that 
which  is  not  bread,  and  your  labor  for  that  which 
satisfieth  not  ;  when  Jesus  calls  you  to  come  to  him 
for  the  true  bread  of  eternal  life,  that  you  may  eat 
and  live  for  ever. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
such  as  have  not  been  so  and  so  prepared  and  quali- 
fied as  Satan  suggests,  have  received  Christ,  and 
been  accepted  and  saved  by  him. 

Acts  xvi.  30.  31. 

What  must  I  do   to   be  saved  ?     And  they  said  be- 
lieve on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  $?c. 

Pray  what  preparations  and  qualifications  were 
found  in  Matthew,  Zaccheus,  Paul,  the  jailor,  and 
Lydia,  before  their  conversion?  God  is  a  free  agent, 
to  work  by  law  or  gospel,  by  smiles  or  frowns  ;  by 
representing  heaven  or  hell  unto  the  sinner's  view. 
God  thunders  from  Mount  Sinai  upon  some  souls, 
and  conquers  them  by  thunderings  ;  God  speaks  to 
others  in  a  still,   small  vcice,   and  by  that  prevails 


against  satan's  devices.  229 

with  them.  Ye  that  are  brought  to  Christ  by  the 
law,  do  not  ye  judge  and  condemn  them  that  are 
brought  to  Christ  by  the  gospel  ;  and  ye  that  are 
brought  to  Christ  by  the  gospel,  do  not  ye  despise 
those  that  are  brought  to  Christ  by  the  law.  Some, 
therefore,  are  brought  to  Christ,  and  embrace  him, 
by  storms,  fire,  and  tempests ;  others  by  more  easy 
and  gentle  gales  of  the  Spirit.  Thus  tiie  divine 
Spirit  is  free  and  sovereign  in  his  works  of  conver- 
sion, and  as  the  wind,  which  blows  when,  where,  and 
how  it  pleases,  without  waiting  for  any  sort  of  quali- 
fication or  preparation  in  men.  Thrice  happy  are 
those  souls  that  are  brought  to  Christ,  whether  it  be 
in  a  winter's  night  or  on  a  summer's  day.  Let  the 
coming  soul,  then  remember,  that  such  as  were  re- 
ceived by  Christ  in  years  past,  such  he  still  welcomes 
and  accepts  without  qualifications,    &ic. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that  the 
best  preparation  and  qualification  that  a  soul  can 
bring  to  God,  is  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 

Romans  xiv.  23. 

For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin. 

Believing  in  Christ  is  the  grand  and  great  thing 
which  God  requires,  and  that  which  the  scriptures 
press  upon  men  in  the  most  solemn  manner :  he  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved,  and  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned.  But  this  same  faith  that  leads  the 
20 


230  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

soul  to  rest  on  Christ,  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  the  sole 
operation  of  the  spirit  of  God.  For  a  poor  sin- 
ner, when  convinced  of  the  evil  of  sin,  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  instead  of  bring- 
ing forth  any  good  qualifications  to  God,  runs  from 
creature  to  creature,  from  duty  to  duty,  and  from 
one  vain  refuge  to  another  ;  and  if  any  satisfaction 
or  rest  could  be  found  in  the  creature,  or  in  the 
duty,  (did  not  divine  faith  lead  the  burdened  soul  to 
eye  Christ  as  every  way  qualified  for  the  coming  sin- 
ner,) the  soul  would  not  find  rest  in  Christ.  Look 
up  to  God,  and  wait  on  him  for  that  jewel  faith, 
which  is  worth  more  than  life  itself;  for  without  faith 
you  cannot  please  God,  nor  be  accepted  of  him. 
Whatever  you  may  bring  to  God,  if  you  come  with- 
out faith,  you  will  be  rejected. 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  diligently  to  consider,  that 
all  true  godly  sorrow  and  mourning  for  sin  flows 
from  faith  in  Christ. 

Zechariah  xii.  10. 

They  shall  look  on  him  whom  they  have  pierced,  and 

they  shall  mourn. 

All  that  trouble  of  soul  for  sin,  all  that  shame  and 
pain,  and  all  that  sorrow  and  mourning,  which  is 
acceptable  and. delightful  to  God,  yea,  and  prevalent 
with  God,  flows  from  believing  in  Christ ;  as  the 
stream  doth  from  the  fountain,  as  the  branch  doth 


against  satan's  devices.  231 

from  the  root,  and  as  the  effect  doth  from  the  cause. 
All  gospel  sorrow  and  mourning  flow  from  believing 
in  Christ.  They  shall  first  look,  and  then  mourn. 
Christ  is  the  greatest  good,  the  choicest  good,  the 
chiefest  good,  and  the  most  necessary  good  to  poor 
sinners.  When,  therefore,  the  soul,  by  faith,  is  ena- 
bled to  look  upon  Christ,  in  all  his  perfections,  as  the 
friend  of  sinners,  conscious  of  the  sins  and  trans- 
gressions that  attend  both  the  heart  and  life,  the  soul 
mourns  before  God  that  depravity  and  course  which 
has  wounded  and  cruelly  pierced  the  Lord  of  glory 
afresh,  and  opened  all  his  wounds.  Thus  let  the 
coming  sinner  learn  to  come  just  as  he  is,  and  not  to 
wait  for  qualifications,  &c. 


232  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 


CHAP.  XXIX. 

AS   SATAN  DESTROYS  THE  SOULS  OF   MEN  THROUGH 

Various*  devices,  so  he  also  deceiveth  many 
Tj  1  HEIR  ETERNAL  ruin,  by  false  teachers. 

2  Corinthians  xi.  13,  14,  15. 

Fahe  apostles,  deceitful  workers,  fyc.  §c. 

SATAN'S  main  design  with  false  teachers  is  to  op- 
pose the  faithful  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ,  by  raising 
ill  reports  and  reproaches  upon  their  persons, 
names  and  abilities.  Thus  Korah,  Dathan  and 
Abiram,  charged  Moses  and  Aaron,  that  they  took 
too  much  upon  them,  seeing  all  the  congregation 
was  holy.  You  take  too  much  state,  too  much  pow- 
er, too  much  honor,  and  too  much  holiness  upon 
you ;  for  what  are  you  more  than  others  ?  So 
Ahab's  false  prophets  fell  upon  good  IMichaiah. — 
Yea,  Paul,  that  great  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  had 
his  ministry  undervalued,  and  his  reputation  blasted 
by  false  teachers.  2  Corinthians  x.  10.  And  so  did 
they  unto  our  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  who  taught  as 
never  man  taught ;  for  he  taught  as  one  having  au- 
thority, and  not  as  a  Scribe  ;  yet  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  labored  night  and  day  to  blast  his  credit 
with  the  people:  and  just  so  the  devil  leadeth  false 
teachers   unto  this  day.     Oh!  the   reproaches  and. 


against  satan's  devices.  233 

the  contempt  cast  upon   all  the  faithful  ministers  of 
the  gospel  by  false  apostles. 


The  precious  Remedies  against  Satan  and  his 
false  teachers  are  these : 

First.  Seriously  to  consider,  that  false  teachers 
cover  and  color  their  dangerous  principles  with  fair 
speeches  and  plausible  pretences. 

Romans  xvi.  18. 

By  good  words  and  fair  speeches  deceive  the  hearts 

of  the  simple. 

Impostors  impose  upon  thousands  with  fair 
words  and  flattering  pretences,  with  high  notions 
and  golden  expressions.  How  many  in  these  days 
are  bewitched  and  deceived  by  the  magnificent 
words,  lofty  strains,  and  stately  terms  of  deceivers? 
viz  :  Illumination,  revelation,  deification,  and  fiery 
triplicity.  As  strumpets  paint  their  faces  and  deck 
and  perfume  their  beds,  the  better  to  allure  and  de- 
ceive simple  souls,  so  do  these  false  teachers  put  a 
great  deal  of  paint  and  garnish  upon  their  mos 
dangerous  principles  and  blasphemies,  that  they 
may  the  better  deceive  and  delude  poor  ignorant 
souls ;  they  know  that  sugared  poison  goes  down 
sweetly;  they  wrap  up  their  most  pernicious 
oul-killing  pills  in  gold ;  and  they  allure  through 
20* 


234  PRECIOUS  REMEDIES 

plausible  appearances  and  pretences.  Thus  tfre 
simple  are  snared  and  taken,  and  by  good  words 
and  fair  speeches  their  hearts  are  deceived  and  their 
feet  turned  out  of  the  way  of  truth.  So  God  gave 
them  up  to  believe  a  lie,  that  both  the  deceiver  and 
the  deceived  might  perish  forever,  who  believed  not 
the  truth. 

The  second    Remedy   is,   carefully  to   consider, 
that  false  teachers  are  men-pleasers. 

Galatians  i.  10. 

For  if  1  yet  please  men,  I  should  not  be  the  servant 
of  Christ. 

False  teachers  preach  more  to  please  the  ear  than 
to  profit  and  edify  the  soul  ;  they  handle  holy 
things  rather  with  wit  and  human  elegancy,  than 
with  fear  and  reverence.  Flattery  ruined  Ahab, 
Herod,  Nero,  and  Alexander.  Not  bitter,  but  flat- 
tering words  do  all  the  mischief,  said  Valerian,  the 
Roman  emperor.  Isaiah  xxx.  10.  "  Which  say  to 
the  seers,  see  not,  and  to  the  prophets,  prophesy  not 
unto  us  right  tilings ;  speak  unto  us  smooth  things, 
prophesy  deceits."  Jeremiah  v.  30,  31.  "A  won- 
derful and  horrible  thing  is  committed  in  the  land  ; 
the  prophets  prophesy  falsely,  and  the  priests  bear 
rule  by  their  means,  and  my  people  love  to  have  it 
so  :  and  what  will  you  do  in  the  end  thereof?" 
False  teachers  are  soul-undoers ;  they  kiss  and  kill, 


against  satan's  devices.  235 

and  cry  peace,  peace,  until  the  soul  falls  into  ever- 
lasting flames  ;  and  thus  they  are  the  faithful  labor- 
ers of  Satan,  who  work  with  might  and  main,  as 
his  messengers  and  ambassadors,  to  deceive,  delude, 
and  forever  undo  the  precious  souls  of  men.  These 
false  teachers  lick  and  suck  the  blood  of  souls,  and 
as  dogs  devour  the  souls  of  men.  Philippians  iii. 
2.     Beware  of  them. 

The  third  Remedy  is,  solemnly  to  consider,  that 
false  teachers  easily  pass  over  the  great  and  weighty 
things  of  both  law  and  gospel,  and  dwell  upon  those 
things  which  are  of  less  moment  to  souls. 

Matthew  xxiii.  23,  24. 

Woe   unto  you,  fyc.  ye  have  omitted  the  weightier 

matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy  and  faith. 

How  easily  these  false  teachers  can  omit  the  great 
and  glorious  things  of  the  gospel,  and  with  an  ea- 
gerness of  soul  contend  for  those  that  are  of  the 
least  moment  and  concern  to  the  souls  of  men. — 
Hear  the  word  of  God  on  these  characters.  1  Tim- 
othy i.  5,  6,  7.  "  Now  the  end  of  the  command- 
ment is  charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned  ;  from  which 
some  having  swerved,  have  turned  aside  unto  vain 
jangling,  desiring  to  be  teachers  of  the  law,  and  un- 
derstanding neither  what  they  say  nor  what  they  af- 
firm."    "  Woe  unto  you  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  by- 


236  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

pocrites,  for  ye  pay  tithe  of  mint,  and  annise,  and 
cummin,  and  have  omitted  the  weightier  matters  01 
the  law,  judgment,  mercy  and  faith  ;  these  ought  ye 
to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  others  undone." 
Thus  we  see  them  nice  in  the  lesser  things  of  the 
law,  and  negligent  in  the  greater.  If  such  false 
teachers  are  not  hypocrites  in  the  grain,  I  know 
none  in  all  the  world:  surely  the  earth  groans  to 
bear  them,  and  hell  must  be  fitted  for  them. 

The  fourth  Remedy  is,  attentively  to  consider, 
that  false  teachers  strive  more  to  win  over  men  to 
their  opinions  than  to  Christ,  and  to  better  their 
hearts  and  lives. 

Matthew  xxiii.  15. 
Ye  compass  sea  and  land  to  make  one  proselyte    he. 

These  false  teachers  busy  themselves  from  day  to 
day  about  the  heads,  but  not  about  the  hearts  of 
the  children  of  men:  the  heart-work  is  counted  en- 
thusiasm and  folly,  nothing  short  of  madness,  and  a 
monstrous  and  ridiculous  absurdity  in  religion,  and 
what  is  only  fit  for  poor,  weak,  ignorant  minds.  In 
the  days  of  Adrian,  the  emperor,  one  Bencosby 
gathered  a  multitude  of  Jews  together,  and  called 
himself  Bencocuba,  the  son  of  a  star,  applying  that 
promise  to  himself,  Numbers  xxiv.  17.  But  he 
proved  Barchosaba,  the  son  of  a  lie :  and  so  will 
all  false  teachers ;  for  all  their  flourishes  will  at  last 


237 

prove  them  sons  of  lies.  They  make  merchandise 
of  men  after  they  have  proselyted  them  to  their 
opinion ;  then  they  eye  their  goods  more  than  their 
good,  their  fleece  more  than  their  souls  :  for  they 
make  every  proselyte  two-fold  more  the  child  of 
hell  than  themselves.  Crates  threw  his  money  into 
the  sea,  resolving  to  drown  it  lest  it  should  drown 
him  :  but  these  false  teachers  care  not  whom  they 
drown,  so  they  may  have  their  money. 

The  fifth  Remedy  is,  carefully  to  consider,  that 
false  teachers  are  rejected,  and  given  up  by  God  to 
follow  their  own  evil  ways,  that  they  may  stumble 
and  fall  (by  their  own  folly)  into  the  pit. 

Ezekiel  xiii.  9. 

And  mine  hand  shall  be  upon  their  prophets  that  see 

vanity  and  that  divine  lies,  fyc. 

When  wicked  men  withstand  the  graciou  s  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel,  and  despise  the  spirit  of  grace, 
and  throw  off  the  word  of  God,  then  the  Lord,  in 
just  judgment,  casts  them  off  from  his  care,  and 
leaves  them  a  prey  to  their  own  hearts  and  Satan. 
He  who  thinks  himself  too  good  and  too  great  to 
be  ruled  by  the  word  of  God,  will  be  found  too  vile 
to  be  owned  by  the  Lord ;  and  being  left  of  God, 
the  word  and  rod  of  God  hardens  his  heart;  and 
thus  his  spirit  and  conscience  are  given  up  by  the 
band  of  justice  to  be  deceived  and  ensnared  by  Sa- 


208  PRECIOUS    REMEDIES 

tan  to  his  eternal  ruin.  And  what  can  be  more 
just  than  that  they  should  be  taken  and  charmed 
with  Satan's  wiles,  who  have  all  their  life  time  re- 
jected and  refused  to  be  charmed  by  the  spirit  of 
grace  in  the  scriptures,  and  sought  after  the  devices 
of  their  own  hearts  ?  The  Lord  hath  given  them 
up  to  be  fed  by  the  wind  of  their  own  inventions, 
and  at  last  to  lie  down  in  sorrow  forever.  Oh  !  what 
shall  these  venders  of  the  devices  and  visions  of 
their  own  heads  and  hearts  do  in  the  great  day  of 
God  Almighty  ? 

The  sixth  Remedy  is,  seriously  to  consider,  that 
there  are  no  weapons  but  spiritual  weapons  suffi- 
ciently powerful  to  withstand  the  devices  of  Satan 
and  the  arts  of  false  teachers. 

Ephesians  vi.  13. 

Wherefore  take  unto  you  the  whole  armor  of  God, 

fyc. 

You  ought  to  consider  that  you  have  not  to  do 
with  weak  and  ignorant,  but  with  mighty  and  subtle 
enemies;  therefore  you  had  need  look  to  it,  that  your 
weapons  are  mighty  ;  and  that  they  cannot  be  unless 
they  are  spiritual :  carnal  weapons  have  no  might 
nor  spirit  in  them  towards  the  making  of  a  conquest 
upon  Satan  and  his  ministers.  It  was  not  David's 
sling  nor  stone  that  gave  him  the  honor  and  advan- 
tage of  setting  his.  feet  upon  Goliah,  but  bis  faith. 


239 

in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts.  The  only  way 
to  stand,  conquer,  and  triumph,  is  to  plead,  "  'tis 
written,"  as  Christ  did.  There  is  no  sword,  but 
the  two-edged  sword  of  the  spirit,  that  will  be  found 
to  be  mettle  proof,  when  the  soul  comes  to  engage 
against  Satan:  therefore,  whenever  you  contend 
against  Satan  and  false  teachers,  always  remember 
to  plead,  "  'tis  written,"  he,  he.  I  would  now 
draw  a  conclusion  by  setting  before  you  some  spe- 
cial rules,  helps,  he.  &c. 


CONCLUSION 


HELP  THE  FIRST. 

Now  if  you  would  not  be  taken  in  any  of  Satan's 
snares,  then  be  much  in  prayer. 

Psalm  cxli.  8,  9,  10. 

O  God  the  Lord,  in  thee  is  my  trust,  leave  not  my 
soul  Restitute,  fyc.  fyc. 

Prayer  is  a  shelter  to  the  soul,  a  sacrifice  to  God, 
and  a  scourge  to  the  devil.  David's  heart  was  of- 
ten more  out  of  tune  than  his  harp ;  he  prays,  and 
then,  in  spite  of  the  devil,  cries,  u  return  unto  thy 
rest,  O  my  soul."  Prayer  is  the  gate  of  heaven,  a 
key  to  let  the  soul  into  paradise ;  there  is  nothing 
that  renders  plots  fruitless  like  prayer.  Ah  !  souls, 
take  you  words,  and  tell  God,  that  Satan  hath  spread 
his  snares  in  all  places,  and  in  all  companies  :  tell 
God,  that  he  digs  deep,  and  that  he  hath  plot  upon 
plot,  and  device  upon  device,  and  all  to  devour  you  ; 
tell  God  that  you  have  neither  skill  nor  power  to  es- 
21 


242  CONCLUSION. 

cape  his  wiles:  O,  tell  God  that  his  honor  is  engaged 
to  stand  by  you,  and  to  bring  you  off  conquerors  : 
yea,  tell  your  God  of  the  love  of  Christ,  the  blood 
of  Christ,  and  the  intercession  of  Christ;  and,  final- 
ly, tell  God  of  the  promised  help  of  the  Spirit. 
Thus  shall  Satan  flee  before  you. 

HELP  THE  SECOND. 

If  you  would  not  be  overcome  through  Satan's 
devices,  seek  to  be  filled  with  the  spirit. 

Ephesians  v.  18. 
But  be  filled  with  the  spirit. 

Now  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  a  spirit  of  light  and 
power  :  and  what  can  the  soul  do  without  light  and 
power  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places? 
'Tis  not  enough  that  you  have  the  spirit,  but  you 
must  be  filled  with  the  spirit,  or  Satan,  that  evil  spir- 
it, will  be  too  hard  for  you.  Cry  for  abundance  of 
the  spirit  :  he  that  supposeth  himself  to  be  possessed 
of  enough  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  quickly  find  him- 
self vanquished  by  the  evil  spirit.  Satan  hath  his 
snares  to  take  you  in  prosperity  and  in  adversity, 
in  health  and  in  sickness,  in  strength  and  in  weaks 
ness ;  when  you  come  to  spiritual  duties,  and  when 
you  leave  them  ;  in  prayer  and  preaching,  in  reading 
and  hearing  :  if  you  are  not  filled  with  the  spirit, 
Satan  will  be  too  hard  for  you,  and  too  crafty  for  you 


DIRECTIONS.  248 

with  all  your  abilities  and  experience,  and  be  will 
frequently  lead  you  captive.  Therefore  labor  more 
to  have  your  hearts  filled  with  the  spirit,  than  to  have 
your  heads  filled  with  notions  :  so  shall  you  escape 
the  snares  of  this  fowler,  and  triumph  over  all  his 
plots  and  devices  practised  against  your  souls. 

THE  THIRD  RULE  OR  HELP. 

If  ye  would   not   have  Satan  to  gain  any  advan- 
tage over  your  souls,  then  %eep  a  strong,  close,  and 

constant  watch. 

» 

Matthew  xxvi.  40,  41. 

Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation. 

The  soul  that  will  not  watch  against  temptation, 
must  certainly  fall  before  the  power  of  temptation. 
Satan  works  most  strongly  on  the  fancy  when  the 
soul  is  drowsy.  The  soul's  security  is  Satan's  op- 
portunity to  fall  upon  it,  and  to  spoil  it,  as  Joshua 
did  the  men  of  Ai.  The  best  way  to  be  safe  and 
secure  from  all  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  is,  with  Nehe- 
miah  and  the  Jews,  to  watch  and  pray,  and  to  pray 
and  watch  ;  by  this  means  they  became  too  hard  for 
their  enemies,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  prospered 
sweetly  in  their  hands.  Remember  how  Christ  chid 
the  sluggishness  and  negligence  of  his  disciples  : 
"  What,  could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one  hour  ?"  he. 


244  CONCLUSION. 

Satan  will  always  keep  a  crafty  and  malicious  watch; 
shall  not  Christians,  then,  keep  a  holy  and  spiritual 
watch  ?  Let  us  always  stand  upon  our  watch-tower, 
lest  we  be  surprised  by  this  subtle  serpent.  A 
watchful  soul  is  a  soul  upon  the  wing,  a  soul  out  of 
gun-shot,  a  soul  upon  a  rock,  a  soul  in  a  castle,  a 
soul  above  the  clouds,  and  a  soul  safe  in  everlasting 
arms. 

HELP  THE  FOURTH. 

M 
If  you  would  not  be  taken  in  any  of  Satan's  de- 
vices, then  engage  not  against  Sa(an  in  your  own 
strength  and  wisdom. 

Philippians  iv.  13. 

lean  do  all  things  through  Christ,  <$fc. 

If  we  engage  against  Satan  in  our  own  spirits  and 
might,  and  are  strangers  to  a  daily  drawing  of  new 
virtue  and  strength  from  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to 
help  in  every  time  of  need,  we  must  certainly  fall, 
and  that  daily.  You  may  see  this  too  evidently  be- 
fore your  eyes  in  every  community  of  professing 
Christians.  The  soul  that  dares  to  wage  war  with 
Satan  without  new  strength  and  new  influence  from 
Jesus,  will  surely  fall  before  the  power  of  the  least 
temptation.  Ah  !  what  a  sad  instance  we  find  in 
Peter!     Surely  he  had  not  looked  up  to  the  everlast- 


CONCLUSi 

ing  liills  for  strength  ;  but  trusting  to  something  in 
himself  he  fell  into  evil.  Oh  !  souls,  when  ye  see 
the  snare,  look  up  to  Jesus  Christ,  and  say  unto  him, 
"  Dear  Lord,  here  is  a  new  plot  laid  for  nry  soul; 
give  me  new  wisdom,  new  strength,  new  influence, 
and  new  measures  of  grace,  that  I  may  escape  with 
honor."  Oh  !  sirs,  you  must  lean  more  upon  Christ 
than  upon  duties,  and  more  upon  Christ  than  upon 
comforts;  for  without  Christ  you  can  do  nothing. 

HELP  THEyPIFTH. 

If  you  would  not  have  Satan  to  prevail  against 
you,  then  be  much  in  contemplation  and  longing  to 
be  at  your  heavenly  inheritance  and  home. 

Psalm  Ixxiii.  25. 

Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee  ;  and  there  is  none 

upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee. 

Shall  the  espoused  maid  long  for  the  marriage-day. 
the  servant  for  his  freedom;  the  captive  for  his  ran. 
som ;  the  traveler  for  his  inn  :  the  mariner  for  hi 
harbor;  and  the  heir  for  his  inheritance?  And 
shall  not  the  saints  long  for  the  bosom  of  Christ  f 
There  being  nothing  below  his  .  bosom  that  is  not 
surrounded  with  Satan's  snares.  What  Paul  once 
said  of  bonds  and  afflictions,  that  they  attended  him 
in  every  place,  the  same  may  all  the  saints  say  of 
21* 


246  CONCLUSION. 

Satan's  devices,  that  they  attend  them  in  every  place; 
which  should  cause  them  to  cry  out,  "  Let  us  go 
hence,  let  us  go  hence:"  and  say,  with  Monica, 
Austin's  mother,  "  What  do  we  here  ?  Why  do  we 
not  depart  hence  ?  Why  flee  we  not  swifter  ?"  Let 
us  cry  out,  with  the  church  of  God,  "  Come,  Lord 
Jesus."  Is  not  Christ  the  crown  of  crowns,  the  glo- 
ry of  glories,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  ?  Oh  ! 
then,  let  us  still  long  after  a  full,  clear,  and  constant 
enjoyment  of  Christ  in  heaven.  It  is  as  easy  to  com- 
pass the  heavens  with  a  span,  and  to  contain  the  sea 
in  a  nut-shell,  as  to  relate  fully  Christ's  excellencies. 
"  Make  haste,  my  beloved,  and  be  thou  like  a  roe, 
and  come  and  fetch  my  soul." 

HELP  THE  SIXTH. 

As  you  would  not  be  taken  with  any  of  Satan's 
devices,  then  be  careful  not  to  grieve  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God. 

Ephesians  iv.  30. 

And  grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  ye 

are  sealed,  4*c. 

The  divine  spirit  is  very  tender,  delicate,  and  jea- 
lous of  his  glory.  'Tis  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  that 
alone  is  able  to  teach  us  the  wiles  of  the  devil,  and 
to  point  out  all  his  plots,  and  discover  all  his   se- 


CONCLUSION.  247 

crets ;  he,  only  he  can  give  power  and  skill  to  escape 
those  pits  that  Satan  hath  digged  for  your  precious 
souls :  but  if  you  grieve  and  set  the  sweet  and  bles- 
sed spirit  a  mourning,  by  a  cold  indifference  and 
negligence  to  his  gracious  advice  and  warnings,  who 
can  deliver  you  from  falling  a  prey  to  the  will  of  your 
enemy  ?  Oh  !  brethren,  be  assured,  that  the  spirit 
will  be  grieved  by  your  enormities,  by  your  inatten- 
tion to  his  gracious  voice  and  comforts,  and  by  giv- 
ing way  to  Satan's  wiles,  until  you  are  ensnared  and 
taken.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  is  your  counsellor, 
your  comforter,  your  upholder,  and  your  strength  : 
'tis  the  spirit  only  that  makes  a  man  too  great  for 
Satan  to  conquer.  1  John  iv.  4.  "  Greater  is  he 
that  is  in  you  than  he  that  is  in  the  world." 


DIRECTIONS. 

TO    THE 

MAN    THAT    GETS   TO   HEAVEN 

BY  JOHN  BUNYAN. 


So  run  that  ye  may  obtain.   1  Cor.  ix.  23. 

These  words  are  taken  from  men's  running  for  a 
wager:  A  very  apt  similitude  to  set  before  the  eyes 
of  the  saints  of  the  Lord.  "  Know  you  not  that 
they  which  run  in  a  race  run  all,  but  one  obtains  the 
prize?  So  run  that  ye  may  obtain."  That  is,  do 
not  only  run,  but  be  sure  you  win  as  well  as  run. 

The  first  direction. 

If  thou  wouldst  so  run  as  to  obtain  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  then  be  sure  that  thou  get  into  the  way 
that  leadeth  thither;  For  it  is  a  vain  thing  to  think 
that  ever  thou  shalt  have  the  prize,  though  thou  run- 
nest  never  so  fast,  unless  thou  art  in  the  way  that 
lfads  to  it.     Set  the  case,  that  there  should  be  a  man 


250 


DIRECTIONS. 


in  London  that  was  to  run  to  York  for  a  wager; 
now,  though  he  run  never  so  swiftly,  yet  if  he  run 
full  south,  he  might  run  himself  quickly  out  of  breath, 
and  be  never  the  nearer  the  prize,  but  rather  the  far- 
ther off.  Just  so  it  is  here  ;  it  is  not  simply  the  run- 
ner, nor  yet  the  hasty  runner,  that  winneth  the 
crown,  unless  he  be  in  the  way  that  leadeth  thereto. 
I  have  observed,  that  little  time  which  I  have  been  a 
professor,  that  there  is  a  great  running  to  and  fro, 
some  this  way,  and  some  that  way,  yet  it  is  to  be 
feared  most  of  them  are  out  of  the  way,  and  then, 
though  they  run  swift  as  the  eagle  can  fly,  they  are 
benefited  nothing  at  all. 

Here  is  one  runs  a  quaking,  another  a  ranting; 
one  again  runs  after  the  Baptism,  and  another  after 
the  Independency ;  here  is  one  for  Free-will,  and 
another  for  Presbytery ;  and  yet  possibly  most  of  all 
these  sects  run  quite  the  wrong  way,  and  yet  every 
one  is  for  his  life,  his  soul,  either  for  heaven  or  hell. 

If  thou  now  say,  Which  is  the  way  ?  I  tell  thee 
it  is  CHRIST,  THE  SON  OF  MARY,  THE 
SON  OF  GOD.  Jesus  saith,  "  I  am  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life ;  no  man  cometh  to  the  Father 
but  by  me."  So  then  thy  business  is,  (if  thou 
wouldst  have  salvation,)  to  see  if  Christ  be  thine, 
with  all  his  benefits,  whether  he  hath  covered  thee 
with  his  righteousness,  whether  he  hath  shewed  thee 


DIRECTIONS.  2~)1 

that  thy  sins  are  washed  away  with  his  heart  blood, 
whether  thou  art  planted  into  him,  and  whether  thou 
have  faith  in  him,  so  as  to  make  a  life  out  of  him,  and 
to  confirm  thee  to  him  ;  that  is,  such  faith  as  to  con- 
clude that  thou  art  righteous,  because  Christ  is 
thy  righteousness,  and  so  constrained  to  walk  with 
him  as  the  joy  of  thy  heart,  because  he  saved  thy 
soul.  And  for  the  Lord's  sake  take  heed,  and  do 
not  deceive  thyself,  and  think  thou  art  in  the  way 
upon  too  slight  grounds  ;  for  if  thou  miss  of  the 
way,  thou  wilt  miss  of  the  prize,  and  if  thou  miss  of 
that,  I  am  sure  thou  wilt  lose  thy  soul,  even  that  soul 
which  is  worth  more  than  the  whole  world. 

The  second  'Direction. 

As  thou  shouldest  get  into  the  way,  so  thou 
shouldest  also  be  much  in  studying  and  musing  on 
the  way.  You  know  men  that  would  be  expert  in 
anything,  they  are  usually  much  in  studying  of  that 
thing,  and  so  likewise  is  it  with  those  that  quickly 
grow  expert  in  any  thing.  This  therefore  thou 
shouldest  do  ;  let  thy  study  be  much  exercised  about 
Christ,  who  is  the  way  ;  what  he  is,  what  he  hath 
done,  and  why  he  is  what  he  is,  and  why  he  hath 
done  what  is  done ;  as,  why  "  he  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,"  why  he  was  "  made  in  the  like- 
ness of  man  ;"  why  he  cried  ;  why  he  died  ;  why 
he  "  bare  the  sins  of  the  world  ;"  why  he  was  made 


252  DIRECTIONS. 

sin,  and  why  he  was  made  righteousness  ;  why  he  is 
in  heaven  in  the  nature  of  man,  and  what  he  doth 
there.  Be  much  in  musing  and  considering  of  these 
things ;  be  thinking  also  enough  of  those  which  thou 
must  not  come  near,  but  leave  some  on  this  hand,  and 
some  on  that  hand,  as  it  is  with  those  that  travel  into 
other  countries,  they  must  leave  such  a  gate  on  this 
hand,  and  such  a  bush  on  that  hand,  and  go  by  such 
a  place,  where  standeth  such  a  thing.  Thus  there- 
fore you  must  do,  "  Avoid  such  things  which  are  ex- 
pressly forbidden  in  the  word  of  God."  "  With- 
draw thy  foot  far  from  her,  and  come  not  nigh  the 
door  of  her  house,  for  her  steps  take  hold  of  hell, 
going  down  to  the  chambers  of  death."  And  so  of 
every  thing  that  is  not  in  the  way,  have  a  care  of  it, 
that  thou  go  not  by  it ;  come  not  near  it,  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  it.     So  run. 

The  third  Direction. 

Not  only  thus,  but  in  the  next  place,  Thou  must 
strip  thyself  of  those  things  that  may  hang  upon 
thee  to  the  hindering  of  thee  in  the  way  to  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  as  covetousness,  pride,  lust,  orwhat- 
soever  else  thy  heart  may  be  inclining  unto,  which 
may  hinder  thee  in  this  heavenly  race.  Men  that 
run  for  a  wager,  if  they  intend  to  win  as  well  as  run, 
they  do  not  use  to  encumber  themselves  or  carry 
those  things  about  them  that  may  be  an  hindrance  to 


DIRECTIONS.  253 

'them  in  their  running.     "  Every  man   that   striveth 
for  the  mastery  is  temperate  in  all  things:"  That  is 
he  layeth  aside  every  thing  that  would  be  any  wise  a 
disadvantage  to  him  ;  as  saith  the  apostle,  "  Let  us 
lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  that  doth  so  easily 
beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is 
set  before  us."     It  is  but  a  vain  thing  to  talk  of  go- 
ing to  heaven,  if  thou  let  thy  heart   be    incumbered 
with   those   things  that  would  hinder.     Would  you 
not  say  that  such  a  man  would  be  in  danger  of  losing 
though  he  run,  if  he   fills   his   pocket   with   stones, 
hang  heavy  garments  on   his   shoulders,   and   great 
lumpish   shoes   on   his   feet  ?     So  it  is  here ;  thou 
talkest  of  going  to  heaven,  and  yet  fillest  thy  pock- 
et with  stones,  i.  e.  fillest  thy  heart  with  this  world, 
lettest  that  hang  on  thy  shoulders,  with  its  profits  and 
pleasures  :  Alas,  alas,  thou   art  widely  mistaken  :  If 
thou  intendest  to  win,  thou  must  strip,  thou  must  lay 
aside  every  weight,-    thou    must  be   temperate  in  all 
things.     Thou  must  so  run. 

The  fourth  Direction. 

Beware  of  by-paths ;  take  heed  thou  dost  not  run 
into  those  lanes  which  lead  out  of  the  way.  There 
are  crooked  paths,  paths  in  which  men  go  astray, 
paths  that  lead  to  death  and  damnation,  but  taktf 
heed  of  all  those.  Some  of  them  are  dangerous  be- 
cause of  practice,  some  because  of  opinion,  but 
22 


254  directions. 

mind  them  not:  mind  the  path  before  thee,  look 
right  before  thee,  turn  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the 
left,  but  let  thine  eyes  look  right  on,  even  right  be- 
fore thee ;  "  Ponder  the  path  of  thy  feet,  and  let  all 
thy  ways  be  established."  Turn  not  to  the  right 
hand  nor  to  the  left :  "Remove  thy  foot  far  from 
evil."  This  counsel  being  not  so  seriously  taken 
as  given,  is  the  reason  of  that  starting  from  opin- 
ion to  opinion,  reeling  this  way  and  that  way,  out 
of  this  lane  into  that  lane,  and  so  missing  the  way 
to  the  kingdom.  Though  the  way  to  heaven  be 
but  one,  yet  there  are  many  crooked  lanes  and  by- 
paths shoot  down  upon  it,  as  I  may  say.  And 
again,  notwithstanding  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be 
the  biggest  city,  yet  usually  those  by-paths  are 
most  beaten,  and  most  travellers  go  those  ways; 
and  therefore  the  way  to  heaven  is  hard  to  be  found, 
and  as  hard  to  be  kept  in  by  reason  of  these. 

The  fifth  Direction. 

Do  not  thou  be  too  much  in  looking  too  high  in 
thy  journey  heavenwards.  You  know  men  that 
run  a  race  do  not  use  to  stare  and  gaze  this 
way  and  that,  neither  do  they  use  to  cast  up 
their  eyes  too  high,  lest  haply  through  their  too 
much  gazing  with  their  eyes  after  other  things, 
they  in  the  mean  time  stumble  and  catch  a  fall. 
The  very  same  case  is  this ;  if  thou  gaze  and  stare 


DIRECTIONS.  255 

after  every  opinion   and  way  that   cornea   into  the 
world,  also  if  thou  be  prying  over  much  into  God's 
secret  decrees,  or  let  thy  heart   too  much    entertain 
questions   about   some  nice  foolish  curiosities,    thou- 
mayest  stumble  and  fall,   as    many  have    done,  both 
in  ranting  and  quackery,  to  their  own  eternal  over- 
throw,   without  the    marvelous  operation   of  God's 
grace  be  suddenly  stretched    forth    to  bring    them 
back   again.     Take  heed,  therefore,  follow  not  that 
proud  lofty  spirit,  that,  devil-like,  cannot  be  content 
with  his  own    station.     David    was   of  an   excellent 
spirit,  where   he    saith,    '-■  Lord,    my   heart    is    not 
haughty,    nor  mine   eyes    lofty,  neither   do    I   ex- 
ercise myself  in   great    matters,   or   things  too  high 
for  me.     Surely  I  have  behaved  and  quieted  myself 
as   a  child  that  is  weaned  of  his  mother.     My  soul 
is  even  as  a  weaned  child."     Do  thou  so  run. 

The  sixth  Direction. 

Take  heed  that  you  have  not  an  ear  open  to  ev- 
ery one  that  calleth  after  you  as  you  are  in  your 
journey.  Men  that  run,  you  know,  if  any  do  call 
after  them,  saying,  I  would  speak  with  you,  or  go 
not  too  fast,  and  you  shall  have  my  company  with 
you,  if  they  run  for  some  great  matter,  they  use  to 
say,  alas,  I  cannot  stay,  I  am  in  haste,  pray 
talk  not  to  me  now ;  neither  can  I  stay  for  you,  I 
am. running  for  a  wager;  if  I  win  I   am  made,   if 


256 


DIRECTIONS. 


I  lose  I  am  undone,  and  therefore  hinder  me  not.— - 
Thus  wise  are  men  when  they  run  for  corruptible 
things,  and  thus  shouldst  thou  do,  and  thou  hast 
more  cause  to  do  so  than  they,  forasmuch  as  they 
run  but  for  things  that  last  not,  but  thou  for  an  in- 
corruptible glory.  1  give  thee  notice  of  this  be- 
times, knowing  that  thou  shah  have  enough  call  af- 
ter thee,  even  the  devil,  sin,  this  world,  vain  com- 
pany, pleasure,  profits,  esteem  among  men,  ease, 
pomp,  pride,  together  with  an  innumerable  compa- 
ny of  such  companions  ;  one  crying,  Stay  for  me  : 
the  other  saying.  Do  not  leave  me  behind  ;  a  third 
saying,  And  take  me  along  with  you.  What! 
will  you  go,  saith  the  devil,  without  your  sins, 
pleasures,  and  profits  ?  Are  you  so  hasty  ?  Can 
you  not  stay  and  take  these  along  with  you  ?  Will 
you  leave  your  friends  and  companions  behind  you  ? 
Can  you  not  do  as  your  neighbors  do,  carry  the  world, 
sin,  lust,  pleasure,  profit,  esteem  among  men,  along 
with  you  ?  Have  a  care  thou  do  not  let  thine  ear 
be  open  to  the  tempting,  enticing,  alluring  and  soul 
entangling  flatteries  of  such  sink-souls  as  these  are. 

II  My  son,  (saith  Solomon,)  if  sinners  entice  thee, 
consent  thou  not.', 

The  seventh  Direction. 

In  the  next  place  be  not  daunted  though  thou 
meetest  with  never  so  many  discouragements  in  thy 
journey  thither.     That  man   that   is   resolved    fpr. 


DIRECTIONS*  257 

heaven,  if  Satan  cannot  win  him  by  flatteries,  he 
will  endeavor  to  weaken  him  by  discouragements  ; 
saying,  thou  art  a  sinner,  thou  hast  broke  God's 
law,  thou  art  not  elected,  thou  comest  too  late, 
the  day  of  grace  is  past,  God  doth  not  care  for  thee, 
thy  heart  is  naught,  thou  art  Lazy,  with  a  hundred 
other  discouraging  suggestions.  And  thus  it  was 
with  David,  where  he  saith,  "  I  had  fainted,  un- 
less I  had  believed  to  see  the  loving  kindness  of  the 
Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living."  As  if  he  should 
say,  the  devil  did  so  rage  and  my  heart  was  so  base, 
that  had  I  judged  according  to  my  own  sense  and 
feeling,  1  had  been  absolutely  distracted ;  but  I 
trusted  to  Christ  in  the  promise,  and  looked  that 
God  would  be  as  good  as  his  promise,  in  having 
mercy  upon  me,  an  unworthy  sinner  !  and  this 
is  that  which  encouraged  me,  and  kept  me  from 
fainting.  And  thus  must  thou  do  when  Satan,  or 
the  law,  or  thy  own  conscience,  do  go  about  to 
dishearten  thee,  either  by  the  greatness  of  thy  sins, 
the  wickedness  of  thy  heart,  the  tediousness  of  the 
way,  the  loss  of  outward  enjoyments,  the  hatred 
that  thou  wilt  procure  from  the  world,  or  the  like; 
then  thou  must  encourage  thyself  with  the  freeness 
of  the  promises,  the  tender-heartedness  of  Christ,' 
the  merits  of  his  blood,  the  freeness  of  his  invita- 
tions to  come  in,  the  greatness  of  the  sin  of  others 
that  have  been  pardoned,  and  that  the  same  God, 
through  the  same  Christ,  holdeth  forth  the  same 
22* 


258  DIRECTIONS. 

grace  as  free  as  ever.  If  these  be  not  thy  medita- 
tions, thou  wilt  draw  very  heavily  in  the  way  to 
heaven,  if  thou  do  not  give  up  all  for  lost,  and 
so  knock  off  from  following  any  farther:  therefore, 
1  say,  take  heart  in  thy^  journey,  and  say  to  thera 
that  seek  thy  destruction,  "Rejoice  not  against  me, 

0  my  enemy,  for  when  I    fall  I    shall   arise,    when 

1  sit  in  darkness  the  Lord  shall  be  a  lig^ht  unto 
me." 

The  eighth  Direction. 

Take  heed  of  being  offended  at  the  cross  that 
thou  must  go  by  before  thou  come  to  heaven*  You 
must  understand  (as  I  have  already  touched)  that 
there  is  no  man  that  goeih  to  heaven  but  he  must 
go  by  the  cross.  The  cross  is  the  standing  way- 
mark  by  which  all  that  go  to  glory  must  pass  by. 

"  We  must  through  much  tribulation  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Yea,  and  all  that  will 
live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution." 
If  thou  art  in  thy  way  to  the  kingdom,  my  life  for 
thine  thou  wilt  come  to  the  cross  shortly,  (the  Lord 
grant  that  thou  shrink  not  at  it,  so  as  to  turn  back 
again.)  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  (saith 
Christ,)  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross 
daily,  and  follow  me."  The  cross  it  stands,  and 
hath  stood,  from  the  beginning,  as  a  waymark  to 
the  kingdom  of   heaven.     You  know  if  one  ask 


niiuu  tions.  25 

you  the  way  to  such  and  such  a  place,  you  for  the 
better  direction,  do  not  only  say,  this  is  the  way,  but 
then  also  say,  you  must  go  by  such  a  gate,  by 
such  a  stile,  such  a  bush,  tree,  bridge,  or  such 
like  :  Why,  so  it  is  here  ;  thou  art  inquiring 
the  way  to  heaven  ?  Why,  I  tell  thee,  Christ  is 
the  way :  into  him  thou  must  get,  into  his  right- 
eousness, to  be  justified  ;  and  if  thou  art  in  him, 
thou  wilt  presently  see  the  cross,  thou  must  go  close 
by  it,  thou  must  touch  it,  nay  thou  must  take  it 
up,  or  else  thou  wilt  quickly  go  out  of  the  way  that 
leads  to  heaven,  and  turn  up  some  of  those  crooked 
lanes  that  lead  down  to  the  chambers  of  death. 

The  ninth  Direction. 

Beg  of  God  that  he  would  do  these  two  things 
for  thee:  First,  Enlighten  thine  understanding: 
and  secondly  inflame  thy  will.  If  these  two  be  but 
effectually  done,  there  is  no  fear  but  thou  wilt  go 
safe  to  heaven. 

One  of  the  great  reasons  why  men  and  women  do 
so  little  regard  the  other  world,  it  is,  because  they 
see  so  little  of  it :  And  the  reason  why  they  see 
so  little  of  it  is,  because  they  have  their  understand- 
ing darkened  :  And  therefore,  saith  Paul,  "  Do 
not  you  believers  walk  as  do  other  Gentiles,  even 
in  the  vanity  of  their  minds,  having  their  under- 


£60  DIRECTIONS. 

standings  darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of 
God  through  their  ignorance  (or  foolishness)  that 
is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart*" 
Walk  not  as  those,  run  not  with  them  :  alas,  poor 
souls,  they  have  their  understandings  darkened, 
their  hearts  blinded,  and  that  is  the  reason  they 
have  such  undervaluing  thoughts  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  For  when 
men  do  come  to  see  the  things  of  another  world, 
what  a  God,  what  a  Christ,  what  a  heaven,  and 
what  an  eternal  glory  there  is  to  be  enjoyed:  also 
when  they  see  that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  have  a 
share  in  it,  I  tell  you  it  will  make  them  run 
through  thick  and  thin  to  enjoy  it.  Moses  having 
a  sight  of  this*  because  his  understanding  was  en- 
lightened, "  He  feareth  not  the  wrath  of  the  king, 
but  chose  rather  to  suffer  afflictions  with  the  people 
of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a 
season."  He  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  the 
king's  daughter;  accounting  it  wonderful  riches  to 
be  accounted  worthy,  of  so  much  as  to  suffer  for 
Christ,  with  the  poor  despised  saints  ;  and  that 
was  because  he  saw  him  who  was  invisible,  and  had 
respect  unto  the  recompense  of  reward.  And  this 
is  that  which  the  apostle  usually  prayelh  for  in  his 
epistles  for  the  saints,  namely,  (i  That  they  might 
know  what  is  the  hope  of  God's  calling,  and  the 
riches  of  the  glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints; 
and  that  they  might  be  able  to  comprehend  v  !ti. 


mnEorioNS.  261 

all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth  and  length,  and  depth 
and  height,  and  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  pas- 
sed) knowledge."  Pray  therefore  that  God  would  en- 
lighten thy  understanding;  that  will  be  a  very 
great  help  unto  thee.  It  will  make  thee  endure 
many  a  hard  brunt  for  Christ;  as  Paul  saith,  "  Af- 
ter you  were  illuminated,  ye  endured  a  great  fight 

of  afflictions. You   took   joyfully  the    spoiling 

of  your  goods,  knowing  in  yourselves,  that  ye  have 
in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance."  If 
there  be  never  such  a  rare  jewel  lie  just  in  a  man's 
way,  yet  if  he  sees  it  not,  he  will  rather  trample  up- 
on it  than  stoop  for  it,  and  it  is  because  he  sees  it 
not.  Why,  so  it  is  here,  though  heaven  be  worth 
never  so  much,  and  thou  hast  never  so  much  need 
of  it,  yet  if  thou  see  it  not,  that  is,  have  not  thy 
understanding  opened  or  enlightened  to  see,  thou 
wilt  not  regard  it  at  all  :  therefore  cry  to  the  Lord 
for  enlightening  grace,  and  say, . "  Lord  open  my 
blind  eyes;  Lord,  take  the  vail  off  my  dark 
heart,"  shew  me  the  things  of  the  other  world,  and 
let  me  see  the  sweetness,  glory,  and  excellency  of 
them  for  Christ  his  sake.     This  is  the  first. 

The  tenth  Direction. 

Cry  to  God  that  he  would  inflame  thy  will  also 
with  the  things  of  the  other  world.  For  when  a 
man's  will  is  fully  set  to  do  such  or  such  a  thing, 


262  •  DIRECTIONS. 

then  it  must  be  a  very  hard  matter  that  shall  hinder 
that  man  ,  from  bringing  about  his  end.  When 
Paul's  will  was  set  resolvedly  to  go  up  to  Jerusa- 
lem, (though  it  was  signified  to  him  before,  what 
he  should  there  suffer,)  he  was  not  daunted  at  all  ; 
nay,  saith  he,  "  I  am  ready  (or  willing)  not  only 
to  be  bound,  but  also  to  die  at  Jerusalem  for  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  His  will  was  inflamed 
with  love  to  Christ ;  and  therefore  all  the  persua- 
sions that  could  be  used  wrought  nothing  at  all. 

Your  self-willed  people  nobody  knows  what  to 
do  with  them  :  we  use  to  say,  He  will  have  his  own 
will,  do  all  what  you  can.  Indeed  to  have  such  a 
will  for  heaven  is  an  admirable  advantage  to  a  man 
that  undertaketh  a  race  thither  :  a  man  that  is  re- 
solved, and  hath  his  will  fixed,  saith  he,  I  will  do 
my  best  to  advantage  myself;  I  will  do  my  worst 
to  hinder  my  enemies  ;  I  will  not  give  out  as  long 
as  I  can  stand  ;  I  will  have  it  or  I  will  lose  my  life  ; 
"  though  he  slay  me  yet  will  I  trust  in  him."  "  I 
will  not  let  thee  go  unless  thou  bless  me."  I  will, 
1  will,  I  will,  O  this  blessed  inflamed  will  for  heav- 
en !  What  is  like  it?  If  a  man  be  willing,  then 
any  argument  shall  be  matter  of  encouragement ; 
but  if  unwilling,  then  any  argument  shall  give  dis- 
couragement ;  this  is  seen  both  in  saints  and  sin- 
ners ;  in  them  that  are  the  children  of  God,  and  al- 
so those  that  are  the  children  of  the  devil.     As, 


DlItEC^PlNS.  2&1 

1.  The  saints  of  old,  they  were  willing  and  re- 
solved for  heaven,  what  could  stop  them  ?  Could 
fire  and  faggot,  sword  or  halter,  filthy  dungeons, 
whips,  bears,  bulls,  lions,  cruel  rackings,  stoning, 
starving,  nakedness,  he.  "  And  in  all  these  things 
they  were  more  than  conquerors,  through  him 
that  loved  them  ;"  who  had  also  made  them  "  willing 
in  the  day  of  his  power." 

2.  See  again,  on  the  other  side,  the  children  of 
the  devil,  because  they  are  not  willing,  how  many 
shift  and  starting  holes  they  will  have.  I  have  mar- 
ried a  wife,  I  have  a  farm,  I  shall  offend  my  land- 
lord, I  shall  offend  my  master,  1  shall  lose  my  tra- 
ding, I  shall  lose  my  pride,  my  pleasures,  I  shall 
be  mocked,  and  scoffed,  therefore  I  dare  not  come. 
I,  saith  another,  will  stay  till  I  ;:.i  older,  till  my 
children  are  out,  till  I  get  a  little  aforehand  in  the 
world,  till  I  have  done  this  and  that,  and  the  other 
business ;  but  alas,  the  thing  is,  they  are  not 
willing  ;  for,  were  they  but  soundly  willing,  these, 
and  a' thousand  such  as  these,  would  hold  them  no 
faster  than  the  cords  held  Sampson,  when  he  broke 
them  like  burnt  flax.  I  tell  you  the  will  is  all:  that 
is,  one  of  the  chief  things  which  turns  the  wheel 
either  backwards  or  forwards ;  and  God  knoweth 
that  full  well,  and  so  likewise  doth  the  devil ;  and 
therefore  they  both  endeavor  very  much  to  strengthen 
the  will  of  their  servants ;  God,  he  is  for  making 


354  DIRECTIONS. 

of  his  a  willing  people  to  serve  him  ;  and  the  devil 
he  doeth  what  he  can  to  possess  the  will  and  affec- 
tion of  those  that  are  in  love  to  sin  ;  and  therefore 
when  Christ  comes  close  to  the  matter,  indeed,  saith 
he,  "  You  will  not  come  to  me."  "  How  often 
would  I  have  gathered  you  as  a  hen  doth  her  chick- 
ens, but  you  would  not."  The  devil  had  possessed 
their  wills,  and  so  long  he  was  sure  enough  of  them. 
O  therefore  cry  hard  to  God  to  inflame  thy  will 
for  heaven  and  Christ :  thy  will,  I  say,  if  that  be 
rightly  set  for  heaven,  thou  wilt  not  be  beat  off  with 
discouragements  ;  and  this  was  the  reason  that  when 
Jacob  wrestled  with  the  angel,  though  he  lost  a 
limb  as  it  were,  and  the  hollow  of  his  thigh  was 
put  out  of  joint  as  he  wrestled  with  him,  yet  saith 
he,  "  I  will  not,"  mark,  v  I  will  not  let  thee  go 
except  thou  bless  me."  Get  thy  will  tipt  with  the 
heavenly  grace,  and  resolution  against  all  discourage- 
ments, and  then  thou  goest  full  speed  for  heaven  ; 
but  if  thou  faulter  in  thy  will,  and  be  not  found 
there,  thou  wilt  run  hobbling  and  halting  all  the  way 
thou  runnest,  and  also  thou  wilt  be  sure  to  fall  short 
at  last.     The  Lord  give  thee  a  will  and  courage. 


^■r^ 


Date  Due 

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AssgS 

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